Not All Bats Have Fangs
by Kuroko Meme
Summary: What if Bella hadn't been so sweet and normal when she'd moved to Forks? What if she'd been a darker, more lugubrious Bella? A tale of two dark souls that find love in one another. AU. Emo/Gothy ExB. R&R. VampireKissesxTwilight crossover.
1. Black

Ciao, everyone! Here is my latest story, in return for the sadly failed one, _It was a Long Ten Years_, and is called _Not All Bats Have Fangs_. It also outvoted Clairvoyance, in the long run, so here! I really am sorry about the other story, but I had NO idea what to do with it. The song for this chapter is called _Misery_, by Good Charlotte. I recommend you listen to it if you like the genre of rock, or lugubrious lyrics.

The story is Alternate Universe and quite OOC. The plot will based off of Vampire Kisses, and the Characters will be from Twilight. Of course, the plot will NOT be the _same_, 'cause those are boring!

It's a Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber crossover. I own neither one. I also don't own any of the music/bands mentioned.

_**Bella's Point of View**_

_Take a look around_

_Don't you see it?_

_See that you are the only real face in the room_

_No one here has a clue what you're feeling_

I fidgeted with my carry-on duffle bag. It was black. Obviously. The generic smell of the plain, gray airplane seats burned my nose. I preferred the aromas of wet black nail polish and the sweet scents on Halloween night.

"Miss? The plane has landed, and it is time to get off." A stewardess tapped my shoulder. Her voice was immaculate and professional, dripping purity, kindness and helpfulness. I looked up at her, with her perfect blonde bun and her perfect, ironed, navy blue stewardess uniform.

It violated everything I lived for. I lived for darkness. For individuality.

_Look at all these happy people_

_Living their lives_

_Look at all these plastic people_

_There's nothing inside_

_Look at all these shallow people_

_Telling their lies_

Today, I wore one of my many midnight black, pleated miniskirts, fishnet stockings, my combat boots, and an Emily the Strange gray t-shirt with 'YOU SUCK' clearly printed on the front. Good Charlotte's _Misery _blasted in my earbuds from my black I-pod nano.

"Of course." Was all I said, my own voice a flat monotone. I grabbed my duffle bag and stepped precariously into the red-carpeted aisle, purposely flaunting my boots at Ms. Perfect. I smiled fleetingly when I saw her frown in distaste.

When I exited the plane into the bustling Port Angeles International Airport, slowly and sadly, I scanned the callous crowd for my father, Chief Swan, head of police in the dreary town of Forks, Washington. I supposed the experience wouldn't be so bad. I detested Forks openly, but Phoenix, Arizona was so much worse. Too much sun. Tanned people. Sun. Happiness and activity. Far too much. For a girl like me, anyway.

_Don't you know_

_The misery loves company_

_Yeah, I hoped_

_The misery was looking for me_

_Happiness is the place that's on the good of me_

_Yeah, I hope_

_That misery comes looking for me_

The decision I made by traveling to the oh so wonderful town of Forks was not one I regretted, it was just one I… disliked. My mother needed space. I would give her some.

My mother, Renee Dwyer, and her new spouse, my stepfather and minor league baseball player, Phillip Dwyer, loved life. They loved the thrill and the feeling of being young. These feelings of happiness and exhilaration did not particularly mesh well with me. And so I left, giving the two their space to live fully and happily, as they indeed were. This way, at least, they wouldn't have a moody, adolescent Goth daughter to always worry about.

Not to mention, my real father, Charlie Swan. He lives all alone in a stuffy, two-story house in rainy old Forks. And now I would live there too. Wonderful.

I finally spotted him. He waved when he saw my gaze. I wrinkled up my nose to see that he was still dressed in his police uniform. Dark blue, covered in a variety of colorful badges and patches. His black leather waist-belt was weighed down by an arsenal including: a Taser, a hand gun, and some other police stuff. I inwardly groaned. This meant we'd be riding in the police cruiser, in all it's traffic-slowing glory. And hideous blue and white paint job, paired with the flashing sirens. Yuck.

I started making my way through the crowd towards him, ignoring the many stares and glares I was attracting. These people didn't understand. I didn't expect then to, with their plaid sweater-vests, tan slacks, and loafers. Their sun-hats, colorful blouses, and flowing skirts. I was quite used to it.

I had been nothing short of an outcast, back in Phoenix. People were, quite simply, afraid of me. Me, with my black eyeshadow, and me with my studded collar chokers, and me, with my dismal attire. I had no close friends, no favorite teachers, and no flashy clique to call my own, thank goodness! I was quite content to be Miss Nobody.

_Everybody's singing_

_Everybody's moving_

_They're programmed_

_Their feelings_

_They're synchronizing_

_And criticizing_

Perhaps here, in Forks, I'd get a better start. Maybe a couple friends, or maybe acquaintances, who knows? I didn't feel myself caring that much.

"Hey, kiddo!" Charlie smiled tentatively when I at last reached him, taking in my black lipstick and skull earrings. "You haven't changed one bit!" He was referring to the last time I'd seen him; two years ago. It was true. I really hadn't changed a bit, except growing taller and losing most of my childish roundness. I quickly turned the song down until it was just background music.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes, "Let's get out of here." I really was eager to escape to Charlie's, and now also my, house.

"Okay." Charlie frowned just a bit, obviously put out a bit by my lugubrious mood. "Let's go get the rest of your stuff, and we can go."

I followed my father to the luggage lines, and waited, watching the snail-paced suitcases and bags travel by me and to their respective owners. I once again ignored the stares I was getting.

Charlie was silent. I liked that about him. Thankfully untalkative, and moderately unsocial, as well. I knew he only had a few real friends, some Indian guys down from the La Push reservation that he liked to go fishing with. Bob or Billy, or something, and some other people. Our silence wasn't uncomfortable, just… silent.

And I finally saw my suitcases. They were an eyeful and an eyesore; I watched the baggage boy throw them onto the luggage line with fear and a bit of disgust. They were, of course, black. There were two of them, very large and bulky, due to the amount of clothes I owned. They were covered with a smattering of iron-on band patches; Good Charlotte, Evanescence, Aerosmith, etc. and some random stickers featuring cracked skulls and dark eyes. I broke out into true smile, right as Charlie and a good number of other random people frowned and glanced fleetingly at me, making the obvious connection as to who owned the suitcases.

"There's my stuff." I pointed without needing to, as Charlie was already locking his gaze on the steadily approaching Goth baggage.

_Don't you know this misery loves me_

_Don't you know this misery loves me_

_Don't you know this misery loves me_

_Don't you know this misery loves me_

_Loves me_

_Loves me_

I could hear the murmurs, the steady spawning of quick gossip. Fools. It'd be all over town by tomorrow. The chief's death-induced, freak-of-a-girl daughter had come home to stay, for until school ended, at least.

I felt sorry for the shallow people who needed to spread rumors in order to feel important.

Charlie snagged one large suitcase off the line, thrust it to me, and grabbed the other for himself. I took mine without a word.

"Hey, Bells, what in the world do you keep in here?" Charlie grunted as we pushed our way out the airport and to the parking lot. Even with wheels, Charlie seemed to have a bit of a hard time lugging my case around.

"Stuff." I shrugged.

"It isn't drugs of something, is it?" Charlie asked worriedly and suspiciously, his inner cop taking over in response to my cryptic answer. He's need to get used to it; I was not known to be straightforward and clear in my words.

I sighed, eying the icy black parking lot asphalt with distaste; I was known to be terribly clumsy. "No, Char---Dad. I like my combat boots." And I gestured to my feet, namely my bulky and obviously heavy boots. "I've got three pairs besides these."

"Oh." Charlie said in a small, embarrassed voice. I sighed again, saying nothing. Poor, simple Charlie.

We reached the cruiser, and I popped the trunk without a word, stuffing my suitcase in and leaving just enough room for the other one. Charlie grunted as he managed to shove the case sufficiently in. He slammed the trunk shut, dusting his hands off on his cop jeans and breathing heavily. I shivered as a ghostly gust of cold, Washington wind blew into my face.

"Let's go home, kid. We can order pizza." He yawned and made his way to the driver's seat. I quickly strode to the passenger's seat after a moment, opening the door, sliding in, and slamming the door shut again with a kind of discreet contempt. The cruiser smelled a lot like the airplane, and the worn leather seats smelled like musty dust.

"OK." I said, shrugging. "I'm not hungry, though. The airplane food was crap." Charlie started up the car, backing carefully out of the cold parking lot and driving slowly out onto the highway. He turned left, onto a lane with an green, overhanging sign that read 'Forks, 30 miles'.

Again, like at the baggage line, our silence was moderately comfortable. I stared out at the dreary, green Washington landscape, while Charlie kept his eyes wordlessly on the road. I turned off my iPod and wound up the cord, stowing it in my pocket.

After about fifteen minutes of our lack of conversation, I turned to Charlie. "So… anything I should know? About town, or school?"

He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. "Not really. In small towns, not much changes over the years. There is one new family, though. They moved in last year, into the Berkshire Mansion, remember that? You used to play in it when you were young."

This peaked my interest. The Berkshire Mansion? No way! The place had been abandoned for years, left to rot and be covered in cobwebs and dust. I fleetingly remembered sneaking around the dark hallways as a curious seven-year-old, already naturally attracted to all things dark and spooky. "Really?" I asked Charlie, my voice gaining a bit of color.

Charlie seemed encouraged by this. "Oh, yes. The Cullens. A strange family, if you ask me, but I'm not biased." He gulped slightly.

I was peaked even further. "What can you tell me about them?" Anything to do with the Berkshire Mansion would be of interest to me.

He shifted uncomfortably. "Well… I don't know. The father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, is a doctor at the local hospital. He's about 27, or something. His wife, Esme Cullen, I don't know much about. You don't see much of the family. I think she's a stay-at-home mom or something like that."

His words left something to be desired. I asked, "And their children? You mentioned the doctor is a father."

He nodded. "Yes. They adopted five teenagers before they moved here. All about your age, I think, 17 or 18. Carlisle and Esme might seem too young to have adopted so many kids that are in their late teens, but they manage. I'll admit, I had my worries when they first came, five teenagers and such, but the kids are actually quite civilized, no trouble at all." He licked his lips nervously. I snorted inwardly at this. I wasn't going to be making friends with a bunch of preppy, goody-goodies, no matter how cool their house was.

"That's nice." I said, closing the subject. Charlie seemed relieved that I dropped the subject.

For the rest of the ride, no one talked. I stared out the window at the mossy greenness of Forks. Clouds covered the sky dismally, obscuring all sunlight. It was a nice climate change.

Before I knew it, it was 4:00 pm, and the cruiser was pulling into Charlie's gravelly driveway, in front of the dingy house I was to call my own from now on.

I noticed a big, red, monster of a truck parked suspiciously in the extra parking space of the driveway. "Charlie, what's that?" I pointed with my black-nailed finger over his shoulder at the beast as he stopped the car. He looked up, clueless. Once he saw the truck, he seemed to suddenly remember something important. He slapped his hand to forehead with a grin. "Oh, that's for you, Bells. Consider it a homecoming gift, from me. You don't have to pay a dime." He anxiously awaited my reaction.

I peeked over his shoulder to scrutinize the truck. It was large, rusty red, and rather sub-standard. But there was something about it… it had personality. Feeling. I could actually imagine myself behind the wheel. I turned my attention back to Charlie. " I love it, Charlie, thanks!" And I meant it, my face breaking out into a small, but genuine smile. Of course, I _had_ been saving up some cash to buy myself a car, preferably a black one, but this would do.

Charlie seemed relieved by my sudden burst of rarely-seen enthusiasm, and smiled in return. "C'mon, kid, let's go order us some pizza." He got out of the car and started towards the small porch. I glanced at the truck that was now mine before quickly following his example.

As I crunched across the gravel, I briefly wondered if Charlie could cook at all, and if he spent every night ordering pizza. If he couldn't, I supposed I could. When you live with someone as eccentric as Renee, your choices are; force down the burnt, soggy creations she refers to as 'food', starve, or learn to fend for yourself. I chose the latter option.

When I entered the threshold of the Swan home, I quickly made my observations. It was warm and cozy in a homely way, and rustic in its own sense. The kitchen was yellow and cheerful, and the small living room consisted of two faded recliners and a substandard color television. I pursed my lips. I wasn't going to be prejudiced, but I honestly couldn't wait to get to my own room, which was filled with my _own_ style.

"So, do you like it?" Charlie asked me as he kicked off his boots into a corner, reaching for a nearby telephone.

"Yes. It's lovely." I fibbed easily, grinning good-naturedly. "When can we get my stuff from the trunk?"

"First thing tomorrow." Charlie promised, "You can go check out your room,; I'll call you down when the pizza's here."

"That's Ok, Charlie, I'm still full from the cruddy airplane food." I told Charlie as I thunked up the narrow wooden staircase. The twiggy railing felt like it could snap if I put too much pressure on it.

My room was much the same. Second door on the right. As I pushed the door open, I realized that no one had even bothered dusting it since I last took up the space.

It was a small room, with dark purple walls and black carpet. My bed had a faded black comforter, and the matching set of sheets and shams was folded messily on top. The lacy black curtains hung limply, obviously needing a good thwacking. My walls were covered in band posters, pictures, and a decrepit bulletin board near my bedside. Also next to my bedside was a dark, cherry-wood dresser with an alarm clock and a sweet lamp with a blood-red shade and bat silhouettes printed on.

I stepped gingerly into the room, careful not to whip up a dust-storm. Same old, same old. I carefully made my way to the closet, anxious to see if the clothes I had left there were still in place.

I sighed in relief as I pushed the closet door open and flipped on the light switch, seeing all my vintage t-shirts, skirts and jeans exactly as I left them, if not a bit dustier. I flipped the switch and closed the door quietly.

Now, to find a duster. I left my room and walked to the top of the stairs. I called, "Charlie, you got a duster?" I saw him jump up in surprise from the recliner he was plopped on while watching a baseball game.

Sheepishly, he turned to face me, his face red from embarrassment. "Uh, yeah Bells. There's a closet on the third door to the right full of blankets and cleaning stuff."

"Thanks."

I sauntered back past my room to retrieve the duster I would need. I found it buried under a pile of sheets. It was fuzzy and pink, ugh… Oh well.

I put the duster to good use, wiping it around the furniture in my room and dusting off all the trinkets and books until everything was returned to it's former gothic glory. I marveled at my handy work. Looking out my Windexed window, I saw that it was already dusk.

"Phew." I sighed, wiping my now-sweaty forehead and chucking the duster into a drawer. I decided a shower was in order, and departed for the bathroom. After all, I did have school tomorrow.

Quite unfortunately, I was going to have to share a bathroom with Charlie. He only had one in the house, and I dreaded the prospect of what awkward experiences might occur there. I turned on the hot water and stepped into the cramped shower-space.

As the droplets of hot water beat down onto my back, I couldn't help but ponder the facts that Charlie had given me about the family that had moved into Berkshire Mansion. What kind of people were they? What did they look like? Why did Charlie seem to feel uncomfortable when talking about them? I hummed _Misery_ on a whim.

_So you're tired of running_

_You're tired of hurting_

_You're tired of living in the light_

_You're tired of listening_

_You're tired hurting_

_Keep you're sadness alive_

I scrubbed my body down with some raspberry vanilla body wash I found in the shower corner. I lathered my hair with some strawberry two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. After a while of standing in the shower, not doing anything in particular, the water began losing its heat. I sighed, twisted the shower knob to turn it off, and slouched out into the contrastingly cold air of the bathroom. Fog steamed up the mirror and the single window.

Wrapping myself in a black and white striped towel I'd brought from Phoenix, I approached the small, foggy bathroom mirror. It had a slight crack in the bottom left corner, and I could tell the whole thing could swing open to reveal a cabinet. I wiped the steam off to scrutinize my reflection.

I had forgotten to wipe off my makeup before showering. Unfortunately, black streaks of what was once my eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara ran down my pale white cheeks like black rain on a window.

"Crap." I murmured, snagging a cotton ball from a little glass jar under the sink. I hurriedly wiped my streaked face, cleaning it of all cosmetics. I rubbed off the remnants of my black lipstick.

The difference between the real me, and the one I saw staring morosely back at me now, was startling. Without my makeup, I looked like one of those cheerleader girls, confident and pretty. Not to mention vain and shallow.

But I didn't think of myself that way. My bone-white, porcelain colored skin and mahogany brown hair looked so much more… _right_, with black Kohl and lip gloss. So much better with black, lacy camisoles and rockster logos, rather than pink miniskirts and Prada purses. I shuddered away from those giant Barbie dolls.

Scowling my signature scowl, I escaped the bathroom and the mirror to my bedroom, my safe haven with Charlie's rustic small-town house. I tossed my damp towel across the room and threw on a baggy Corpse Bride t-shirt and army-style shorts from my closet. Then I plopped onto my saggy bed, burying myself alive with black cloth.

And all too soon, even with my wet hair pressing down my back, even with the imminent mystery of 'the Cullens', even with the prospect of _school_ at my throat, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

_Whoa hoah_

_Misery's my company_

_Whoa hoah_

_Misery is looking for me_

_Looking for me_

**There! It's done! I'm proud! I hope you liked it… sort of. **

**Please Review, or I'll set my Siamese cat named Robby on you!**

**Next chapter is school… and a bit of Edward…**


	2. Frankenstein High

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Kisses, Twilight, or any of the music/bands/etc. stuff.

**I'm glad you guys liked it, thanks! The song for this chapter is **_The Day That I Die _**by Good Charlotte. I love them!!!**

_**Bella's Point of View**_

_One day I woke up_

_I woke up knowing_

_Today is the day I will die_

This morning, I woke up on the floor.

Yes, the floor.

Apparently, I get restless when I sleep, according to Renee. She also tells me I sleep talk, which, if you ask me, is pretty pathetic.

I groaned, and rolled over onto my stomach. I was used to sunlight filtering in through my blinds (Phoenix, remember?), and so I was slightly disconcerted when I looked out my window to find clouds. Lots and lots of clouds.

Oh. Right. Forks. I grimaced as I pulled myself off the floor, chucking the fallen pillow and comforter back onto my bed. Groggily, I banged out of my room in barefeet, my messy bed-head hair flopping into my drooping eyes. I thudded down Charlie's wooden steps, and promptly collapsed into the nearest chair I could find, which was in the overly-cheerful kitchen. I yawned.

"Charlie?" I called as soon as I shook my hair out of my eyes.

No reply. I pursed my lips and glanced at the microwave clock. 7:00. Okay, good. An hour till school, forty-five minutes to get ready.

I suddenly noticed a little white sticky note attached to the kitchen table. I leaned over to snag it, being too lazy to get out of my chair, and brought close to my face so my sleepy eyes could read it.

_Hey, Bells!_

_Good morning! Sorry I'm not here, but the station calls me in early._

_Your suitcases are in the entrance hallway._

_Drive your new truck to school today, and good luck!_

_----Charlie_

Charlie's scribbly scrawl was rather hard to make out, but I managed. I sighed. Today was school, and I was wound tighter than an anaconda around a wild pig. Not the best of visuals, but the point is the same. I crumpled up the note and tossed it to the floor.

Grumbling, I heaved my body off the chair and shuffled to the fridge, lugging out a carton of milk. I set that down on the table and dragged myself over to the pantry, which was full of all sorts of dust, and picked out a box of Frosted Flakes that looked like it had reached its expiration date about a year ago.

"Great." I scowled and poured myself a bowl of milk, quickly gulping up the stale flakes. I finished the whole bowl in about thirty seconds. I quickly got myself a second helping. Maybe skipping dinner yesterday hadn't been such a good idea, crappy airplane food or not.

Wiping my milk mustache off with my wrist, I threw my bowl and spoon into the sink, shoved the milk back into the fridge, and thunked my way into the hallway, where my suitcases should be.

I sighed in relief when I found them, leaning against the wall. I quickly knelt down next to the closer one and unzipped the zipper.

About half of its contents came tumbling out onto the floor. "Crap," I muttered, hastily shoving the items back in. I left out a Green Day t-shirt, a tight-fitting long-sleeved shirt, a black miniskirt with tattered edges, and a pair of black and white striped thigh-high socks for today. Once I had successfully re-packed the clothes that had fallen out, I carefully scooped up my outfit for the day, and half-ran back upstairs and into my room.

I checked the clock on my bedside table. Okay, 7: 07, still lots of time. I started undressing, and suddenly remembered that Renee had asked me to call her when I'd arrived. By now, she was probably in a panic.

While tugging on the long-sleeved shirt, I slipped downstairs and grabbed Charlie's phone, dialing Renee's number as I started back up the stairs.

_I called my mother_

_Told her I loved her_

_and I begged her not to cry_

"Hello?" She answered on the fifth ring, just as I tripped on the top step.

"OW! SHIT!" I cried into the phone as I made painful contact to the cold hard floor. The phone clattered to the floor a few feet away.

"Bella? Bella? Is that you?!" Renee's voice rose a few octaves as I quickly scrambled up from the floor, rubbing my elbows and hastily snatching the phone up.

"Yeah Mom. Sorry, I just fell..." I laughed humorlessly as I continued my way back to my room, now taking extra care not to trip.

I heard Renee sigh in relief. "Oh, good. How's Forks been treating you, hon?"

"Fine." I said simply. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the Green Day top off my bed, pulling it over the long-sleeved shirt. The miniskirt was halfway up my legs when Renee said in a hurried voice,

"Oh, sorry hon, but Phil's got a big game coming on, and I can't afford to miss it. It's two hours away by car, isn't that ridiculous?"

"Yeah." I pulled one sock up my left leg, to my mid-thigh.

"OK, hon, well, bye. I love you."

"Hmm, me too." I said, hanging up as I tugged the other sock up and tossed the phone onto my bed so I could search for some shoes.

Now, one might think my mother and I were not two close individuals. We hardly exchanged words beyond pleasantries, and our senses of style were complete and polar opposites. Renee loved pink. She loved pastels and cute things. Her car was baby blue Volkswagen Beetle.

I, on the other hand, adored all things black. I loved shady things and gloomy atmospheres. Not one thing I owned didn't have a bit of black, or at least a dark color, like maroon or dark purple.

But, I'd say they were wrong. My mother and I weren't on the same page; I was pretty sure we never would be, never I eternity.

However, my mother was by best friend. Sort of. I mean, I don't actually have any real friends, but she came close. And I was her little girl, no matter how different I was.

I walked into my closet to inspect myself in my full-length mirror.

Now, I am not vain, but I had to admit I had a pretty good figure. Nice curves, long legs, you know? Sometimes I hated the looks boys gave me. The looks didn't last long, however, once I showed them my true nature. I snickered inwardly.

_You know the happiest day of my life_

_I swear the happiest day of my life_

_Is the day that I die_

_Okay, combats or folded? Folded._ I thought as I rummaged through box of dusty footwear. I pushed away a pair of combat boots and quickly pulled on the tight-fitting, folded Converse Chucks. I would have to get some new ones soon... Two years is a lot of time for feet to grow, but I doubted I would find a gothic retailer in _Forks_... Much less a Hot Topic.

With shoes now on my feet, I dashed to the bathroom. The clock on the wall said: 7: 28. Still 17 more minutes until I'll have to ditch this dump...

Running a scraggly old hairbrush through my knotted hair proved difficult, so I gave up and pinned it out of my face with a couple of blood-red hairclips. I added a pair of crucifix shaped earrings for emphasis.

I grabbed my black cosmetics bag and put on a fresh layer of black eyeliner and eyeshadow. After hastily brushing my teeth, I applied some black lipstick and did the puckery thing to smooth it out. Perfect. I smiled at mirror-me before rushing out the bathroom to get my stuff.

Back downstairs to the suitcases.

Thankfully, I had remembered to buy some new notebooks and pencils, along with a stylish black totebag big enough to hold all of it. Unzipping the case, I snatched the stuff up in both arms and stumbled to the living room, where I dumped it all on a chair and started stuffing it into the tote.

10 more minutes, the kitchen clock told me when I glanced up at it.

Ten more minutes... and I was almost done getting ready. So why not have some fun? I grinned devilishly at my new-formed plan.

Leaving my tote on the recliner, I sprinted upstairs, thankfully not tripping, and dove into my closet. I dug feverishly behind the racks of clothing, until I found it; a box.

I ripped the lid off and rummaged through the box, which was full of all sorts of doodads.

A fang necklace? No.

A chain choker? No.

A bat bracelet. No.

A set of fake vampire fangs? Yes.

I smiled evilly as I held up the set of canines. They were the good kind, the convincing kind. Not the lame generic fold-over kind, the kind you can buy at a cheap Halloween store.

Nope. These were the good kind. But they required some sort of adhesive. Quickly, I dug into the box again and found some oral SuperGlue I had stolen from a dentist's office when I had been younger.

I applied a dab of the stuff to each of the teeth, before wiping off my own, real canines and sticking them on. I sat there for the required five minutes with my mouth open, now sporting a pair of fangs.

When I closed my mouth, they stuck, and hung over my bottom lip so you could see them. I grinned maliciously, looking over at myself in the full-length mirror.

I looked like a real vampire. The fangs, the pale skin... I sighed. I wished I could find a real vampire... That'd be so cool.

"Oh, crap!" I yelped, when I realized I must have been sitting, staring at myself, for probably longer than I had thought.

I flung myself down the stairs, almost knocking over a chair and lamp in my haste. I snatched up my tote and practically ran out the front door, not even bothering to check the clock.

_Can you feel the cold tonight?_

_It's it's in, but it's alright_

_Darkness falls, I'm letting go_

_All alone, but I feel just fine_

The cold, gravel driveway crunched loudly as I hurried towards my truck in the morning half-light. When I made contact with the rusty exterior, I flung open the ice-cold door and tossed my bag into the passenger seat. The car smelled like peppermint and alcohol, yuck. I found a car key sitting in the middle of the driver's seat. I picked it up, slammed the door shut, and jammed the key into the ignition, starting the engine.

WOW. Is all I can say.

The truck made a noise like a nuclear explosion when I started it. It was really loud! The engine made all sorts of noisy bursts as I carefully backed out of Charlie's driveway.

The drive to Forks High was very bumpy. The truck was kind of unstable, quite unable to go over 55 miles an hour, as I soon discovered. It made a heinous whining noise when I tried, and so I went back down to 45. Even Renee's Beetle went faster than this.

As I turned onto the main road, the sun had already risen, casting a bright light on the green landscape. The truck's clock said 7:54. I grimaced.

However, to my vast surprise and relief, the school came into view just a couple of minutes after that. It started at 8:00, so I would get there on time.

Forks High looked like an ramshackle hut. There, I said it. The crumbly brick buildings looked like a bunch of mix-matched houses all sewn together, like Frankenstein. Yes, Frankenstein High. I think I'll call it that from now on.

Anyways, when I pulled into the student lot of rechristened Frankenstein High, I discovered I was one of the last to arrive. A feeling of dread crept into my toes.

I searched feverishly for an open space, desperate not to be late on my first day. That would spell disaster.

I was about to give up and park in the prohibited handicapped space, when I saw a nice empty space next to a black Volvo. It was a really sexy car, the nicest one here, in fact.

I sighed in relief as I pulled up next to the Volvo and cut the engine of my monstrosity of a truck. I grabbed my tote, slung it over my shoulder and burst out of my truck, half running towards the front office. I only stumbled once.

When I walked into the front office, breathless and shaking, I rushed up to the secretary's desk, only to find a middle-aged, red haired woman dozing off onto her paperwork. She smelled like cheap perfume. I frowned, and prodded her shoulder forcefully with my black-nailed finger.

She woke with a start, knocking her half-moon glasses off her face and onto the floor. "Huh?" She asked, disoriented.

I grunted, and bent over to pick up her glasses. When I handed them back to her, she put them on and smiled a maternal smile. "Hello, dearie, I'm Ms. Cope. Sorry about that..." She mumbled, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

_No duh._ I thought, but answered in a sweet voice. "Yes. I'm Isabella Swan, and I just moved here from Phoenix. Today is my first day." I smiled a fakely cheerful smile, baring my fangs.

She gasped, her eyes popping out of her head. I was laughing hysterically on the inside, but I managed to keep my face collected. "Soo... can I have my schedule?"

Ms. Cope trembled slightly and looked me over for the first time. She glanced from my 'fangs', to my shirt, to my socks and shoes in a quick succession, shuddering slightly. I scowled impatiently and held my hand out expectantly.

She seemed scared. I chuckled. "Aren't you going to give me my papers?" I asked again, raising my eyebrow.

She gulped, but then said in a small voice, "Oh... uh, uh.. Yes, excuse me..." She blinked and shuffled through some papers in a stack on her desk, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. Apparently, she found what she was looking for, and tugged three sheets of paper out from the bottom of the stack and quickly thrust them at me, like she was attempting to feed an angry cobra. "Get the blue one signed by all of your teachers, and bring it back here when school's over." She mumbled, her eyes flickering around.

I took them silently. The first paper was a school map, the second was the blue sheet, and the other was my schedule. I looked up at her pale face, which was watching me carefully. I smiled again, making her wince. "Thanks." I said, sweeping out of the office with a wave and a wink. As soon as I was out the door, I looked over my shoulder. I could swear I saw her gasping for breath, like she had been holding it in. I smiled fleetingly, and looked down at my schedule again.

_First Period: English, with Mason, Building 3_

_Second Period: Trigonometry, with Varner, Building 4_

_Third Period: Government, with Jefferson, Building 6_

_Fourth Period: Social Studies, with Collins, Building 2_

_Fifth Period: Spanish, with Montez, Building 4_

_Sixth Period: Lunch, Cafeteria_

_Seventh Period: Biology II, with Banner, Building 3_

_Eighth Period: Physical Education, with Clapp, Gym_

I groaned out loud. Gym. I hated it. From the teacher, to the class, to the name, I hated it. I was really bad at it, too. More often than not, I would end up injuring myself, and/or others, with my clumsiness. I was still trying to forget the basketball incident back in Phoenix... And those uniforms... hideous.

Oh well. I set off towards English, my first class, in building 3.

_You know the happiest day of my life_

_I swear the happiest day of my life_

_Is the day that I die_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I found Mr. Mason's classroom, I was three minutes after the bell. "Craptastic." I muttered to myself as I pushed the door open.

A middle-aged, balding man was reciting the proper method of thesis statements off of a large orange poster by the window. He looked up when he heard me close the door behind me, and pursed his lips. "Who are you?" He asked in an irritated tone. He glared at me for interrupting him, and the other students were gawking at my appearance.

I returned his glare. "Isabella Swan. I'm new here." I replied in an icy tone. I saw out of the corner of my eye a girl with a mass of dark curls, whispering and pointing at me. I frowned.

"Well, Isabella, be sure not to be late to my class again. I'll give you a warning this time, because you're new, but take care in the future." Mr. Mason informed me stiffly. I scowled, and he huffed, but took a stack of papers off his desk to hand them to me. I wordlessly held out the blue form for him to sign. He took it and signed it with a flourish, returning it to me with scowl matching mine.

When I took my seat, which was thankfully at the back of the class, I scanned through the papers Mr. Mason had given me. Reading lists. I moaned inwardly, Bronte, Austen, Faulkner, Shakespeare, etc. I had already read everything. Crap.

The rest of the miserable class flew by. I ignored the looks I kept getting from the gathered students. That one girl, the one with the dark curly hair, whispered and glanced at me the whole time. She was obviously one of those gossipy 'Queen Bee' types, complete with the Levi jeans and Hollister hoodie, and Gucci, peep-toe heels. I gave her the evil-eye when I knew she was looking, and she backed off.

When the bell rang, I swiftly shouldered my bag and started for the door, but a pale, skinny hand grabbed my wrist. I jerked away and looked up to see a scrawny kid with greasy black hair and acne-issues. "What?" I asked irately, eager not to be late to my next class.

"H-hi. I'm Eric." Scrawny-boy said, licking his scrawny lips nervously. "D-do you want help f-finding your next c-class?" I stared at him uncomprehendingly. He looked like one of those stereotype nerds, lacking the glasses and pocket protectors, though. But he could be in chess-club, definitely chess-club.

"No." I told him flat out, poking my fangs out a bit more. He flinched, but before he could say anything else, I was out the door.

Not wanting to waste a second, I flew down the hallway like a bat out of hell, away from scrawny-boy, away from creepy Mr. Mason, and out the door towards building 4 and my trig class.

Now, I would have despised Mr. Varner for the subject he taught alone, but he was the only teacher I would have that forced me to introduce myself in front of the whole class. I stood there obediently, but sent him death glares that would have intimidated a weaker man.

"So, Miss Swan." He said in a nasally voice, "Where did you move from.?"

"Phoenix." I shrugged.

"Do you like to be called something besides Isabella? Izzy?" He yawned.

I frowned at his impertinence. "No. Bella."

"Bella." He repeated like a parrot. Some of the kids in class sniggered.

I nodded.

"Why did you come here?"

"Because."

"Why because?" He asked impatiently.

"Because because." I enjoyed playing with people's minds.

"Okay. Because." He pursed his lips and turned a little red, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"Yeah."

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" He asked, obviously wary of my cryptic attitude.

"I want to be a..." I paused for dramatic effect, deciding to toy with his simple mind, "A vampire." I laughed inwardly as he gaped. The class gasped, and I smiled, showing my faux fangs and heading for my seat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time it was lunch, I recognized most of the kids in my classes. The scrawny kid, Eric Yorkie, was not only in my English, but in my social studies and Spanish as well. Lucky me.

The gossip-monger, 'Queen Bee' girl with lots of curls turned out to be Jessica Stanley, and she was just as snobbish as I had interpreted her to be.

I also had the accursed luck to become acquainted with; Lauren Mallory, who was nothing less than a bitch, Tyler Crowley, a regular, air-headed jock, and Mike Newton, the kind of idiot that only appeared in your worst nightmares.

The only people that I had met so far that were even moderately nice were Angela Weber and Ben Cheney, who were dating. Angela was a nice girl, plain, but nice. Maybe a little too much so. Ben, on the other hand, was kind of nerdy. He was still nice, but he'd be _nicer_ if he didn't have a comic book shoved up his nose 24/7.

As I sat down at the over-crowded lunch table, setting down my tray of cafeteria inedibles, the one girl, Lauren, looked up to glare at me. I glared right back.

Lauren was even worse than Jessica. Not only did she have the snide, stuck-up vanity and the overpriced, logo clothes, she had the 100 percent bitchy attitude.

"I like your Halloween costume, freak." She sneered at me, causing the whole table to turn their attention towards us and 'ooooh'.

_Slut._I thought, and coolly picked up an apple, rolling it around in my hands. I put it calmly back on my tray and looked up at her eyes, which were dancing with triumph and contempt.

I smiled my toothy smile, and in a fakely sweet voice said, "Thanks. I like yours better, bitch." And gestured offhandedly at her Abercrombie and Fitch getup.

She gasped, and the audience went, 'OOOH, BURN!' I chuckled.

Suddenly, I heard something. Laughter. But it wasn't at my table; no. It was all the way across the cafeteria, and it was _loud_.

My head snapped up to the boisterous noise, all the way to the other side of the cafeteria, and my jaw dropped.

At the farthest table from me, in the shadow of a staircase, were five people, two of which were howling with laughter. As if they heard me from across the loud cafeteria.

Which wasn't so loud anymore. Apparently, that table doesn't laugh often, because most of the students were staring, shell-shocked, at the table.

There were three boys, and two girls. One of the boys and one of the girls was laughing, while the other three stared disapprovingly at their table-mates. I noticed they were all extremely good looking, although incredibly pale and with purple shadows under their eyes.

The laughing boy was HUGE. He was so muscled and fit, he could have probably snapped me in two, if he wanted. He had dark, curly hair and a big smile. His laughter was loud and booming.

The laughing girl was amusingly contrasting in size. She was tiny, like, shorter than me! And I was only 5' 4"! She looked like a fairy, small and delicate, and beautifully slim. Her spiky black hair shot around in all sorts of directions. Her laugh sounded like wind chimes.

The other, more somber three, were more enthralling still.

A tall, lanky blond with a faraway expression and a calm demeanor sat silently at the edge of the table, staring at his laughing table-mates. He was still muscular, I noticed, just not as much as MR. HUGE.

A blonde girl sat next to him. They could have been twins, but they didn't look that much alike. She was absolutely gorgeous, perfect in every way. She had a great figure, and golden blond hair that fell to her lower back. She probably could have entered in America's Next Top Model and won, hands down.

And finally, the last boy. He was the one that caught my attention the most. He had bronze hair, and was handsomer than any actor or rock star I had ever seen. He was telling his table-mates off now, causing them to immediately quite and look around sheepishly. He was wearing clothes that accented him perfectly. A black leather jacket, an Aerosmith t-shirt, baggy black jeans accentuated with safety pins, and combat boots poking out from underneath. He had the face of an angel. The tips of his stylishly cut bangs were dyed black.

He was drop dead gorgeous. My jaw dropped even farther.

"Like what you see, huh?" Jessica Stanley's voice interrupted my gawking. She giggled, but it sounded fake. "Those are the Cullens, they moved into the Berkshire Mansion last year."

I gasped. The CULLENS??? Oh my God! "Really?" I asked, intrigued. They didn't look as preppy as Charlie had made them out to be... especially not the bronze-haired one, who looked the opposite of preppy.

"Oh, yes. The big one is Emmett Cullen, and the small girl is Alice Cullen. Rosalie and Jasper Hale are the blonds, and twins. The last is Edward Cullen." She seemed to sigh in ecstasy on the last name.

Edward. Edward. Edward. The name was so old-fashioned, but so stately. I liked it.

"But," Jessica seemed to sigh angrily, "Don't waste your time. Edward doesn't date; most people think he's gay. And the others are all incest. Jasper's with Alice, and Rosalie's with Emmett." She laughed cruelly, and I resisted the urge to hit her. Was this why Charlie was so uncomfortable talking about them? Shame!

I looked over at the Cullen/Hale table, and I saw all of their eyes were fixed on Jessica, burning with hate, and almost like they had heard her nasty comment. I agreed with them.

"Well, Jessica," I scowled, "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you."

She rose an eyebrow, looking scandalized. I assumed no one had ever defied her before, spoiled brat. The Cullen's eyes flickered over to my face in surprise.

"You see," I continued, "From your explanation, I gathered that each couple is not at all blood-related, so they aren't in the least incest. If they are happy, that's all that matters. And just because Edward doesn't want to date bitches, doesn't mean he's gay." I smiled wryly.

Jessica turned red for a second, and then white. She huffed, "Sh-shows what you know, fanged freak!" She pouted and looked like a mangy Pomeranian, her frizzy hair puffing out in her agitation. I chuckled. She turned away from me and started whispering to Lauren, who glared at me.

I sighed and turned back to my lunch. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper staring at me. He smiled shyly and mouthed, 'thanks', before quickly turning away and staring out the window.

After a few minutes, the whole family upped and left. Edward lagged behind just slightly, and just before he followed his family through the double doors, could swear I saw him shoot me a curious glance, like he was looking for something in me and not finding it. I saw his face twist into frustration, before he disappeared out the door.

Weird.

Clicking my black fingernails on the cafeteria table with a staccato rhythm, I waited impatiently for lunch to end.

The Cullens were curious people, and I wanted to know more.

_Did I live it right?_

_I hope I lived it right_

_Did I live it right?_

_The day that I die_

**Done with chapter two! Chapter three will be Biology and some other stuff... like sneaking into mansions...**

**Please Review!**

**There's a new poll on my profile: **Poll: If you had a choice of any of these fun activities, being accompanied by the corresponding Twilight character, which would you choose?


	3. Vampires?

Disclaimer: Must I? Pfft... whatever. I don't own Twilight or Vampire Kisses, there, I said it.

**Ohhh, I know... Lugubrious is such an interesting word. I love it. :-) Gothy Bella is weird to write, but fun.**

**Anyways, here's the next chapter. I hope you like. The song for this chapter is called **_A Rush of Blood to the Head _**by Coldplay.**

_**Bella's Point of View**_

_He said I'm gonna buy a gun and start a war_

_If you can tell me something worth fighting for_

_Oh and I'm gonna buy this place is what I say_

_Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head._

After the lunchroom incident, both Jessica and Lauren left me alone. I was glad.

Now, I was headed for building 3, my honors Biology class with a guy named Mr. Banner.

In Phoenix, although I wasn't part of the all-around social circle, I wasn't dumb. I'd had honors English and Biology, perhaps the only two subjects I actually enjoyed and excelled. There wasn't a classic by Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters that I hadn't thoroughly dissected uncountable times, never tiring of the complicated plots or the intricate webs of complex character relationships. Dracula by Bram Stoker and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley were favorites, too.

I found Mr. Banner's classroom by a drinking fountain. Hurriedly taking a quick sip, I dashed into the room, clutching my now-wrinkled blue slip for him to sign.

Unfortunately, I was the last student to arrive. Many kids looked up in surprise and waved, having known me from other classes, while other students, ones who hadn't seen me yet, did a double take looking at my jailbird socks.

I inhaled sharply when I saw a shock of bronze hair and the collar of a black leather jacket, barely visible from the back row of seats.

"Hello, Miss Swan. I've been expecting you." I started slightly as Mr. Banner, a man in his late thirties, introduced himself with a smile. I returned it tentatively.

"Thank you. Here." I shoved the slip at him. He took it, signed it, and gave it back to me.

"You can sit back there, next to Edward." He told me, gesturing towards the back row, where the only empty seat was located. I saw Edward Cullen perk up at his name.

Right. Next. To. Edward. I gulped and slowly started towards the back row.

And, just as I came within a few feet of the weird guy, he jerked in his seat and seemed to stiffen like a board. I balked, confused by his strange behavior. _Is he having a seizure? _I wondered.

I glanced at his face, and he made eye contact with me. His eyes were the oddest color of black. It was very attractive, in my opinion. However, the look he gave me was enough to obliterate that thought.

Stifling a gasp, I flinched and quickly threw myself into the seat next to him, scootching my chair away from him as far as the table would let me. He, also, leaned away from me, apparently quite unhappy with the seating arrangements.

His eyes had held nothing but hate. The icicles in his glare had sent shivers up my spine and the hairs on my neck rose eerily. I had felt the strangest sensation; like a buried instinct. I had felt like I was a piece of meat, or some sort of prey, perhaps, and that Edward Cullen was my hunter. I had felt the need to run.

A strange sensation, indeed.

The minutes ticked by, ever so slowly. I mentally egged the clock to go into hyper-speed. It never did, sadly. I couldn't concentrate on what Mr. Banner was saying, something about cellular respiration, I think, but I'm not sure.

The presence next to me was enough to make me stiffen my muscles and contract my lungs, while feverishly casting my eyes _anywhere_ but at _him_.

I could feel his piercing stare on my back. I shivered.

"What's your problem?" I hissed at last, when the tension became too much. I didn't ask him directly, being too intimidated by those black eyes, but I knew he knew the question was meant for him.

"Mmpf." Came a strangled answer.

Huh? 'Mmpf?' What kind of answer is that? I turned just slightly, so I could look at him. Was he mentally ill, or something? "What?" I asked him in a whisper, confused.

His handsome face was seemingly frozen, like ice. His pale jaw was clenched, I could see it from here, and his eyes still held the same dark fury from before. He was stiff in his seat, still leaning away from me, with his fists clenched tightly around the hem of his Aerosmith shirt. I noticed he was shaking, very slightly, as if restraining himself.

Perturbed, I turned away again and edged a few inches in the opposite direction, the limit of the available space. I gulped.

And then the bell rang. I let out a held breath, stiffening slightly as I heard the chair next to me screech out. I made the mistake of glancing at Edward Cullen again.

Not many things frighten me, I'll tell you. Not terrorists, psychopaths, or haunted houses. Never spiders, snakes, rats, or bats. When I was younger, five and a half to be exact, the 'monster' in my closet was practically my best friend. Then I found out it was a sweater. Yeah. Sucks to be me.

But, when I took a real look into Edward Cullen's ebony orbs, I knew there was something wrong with him. Something scary. Something terrible. And in that moment, I knew I'd be a fool _not_ to be afraid.

He broke his eye contact with me and practically ran out the classroom door, before I could even realize what happened. I shuddered.

Shell-shocked and slightly frozen from my encounter with... him... it... whatever, I didn't notice when someone came up to me and tapped my shoulder.

I yelped, and jumped a mile. Twisting my head around in surprise, my eyes landed on a smiling Mike Newton. I clenched my teeth and asked, "What?" In a mildly strangled tone.

He grinned in what I assumed was supposed to be a flirtatious fashion, and had the nerve to lean forward towards me across the black-topped lab table on his elbows. I leaned back.

"Hey, I didn't get your name back in trig. You're the new girl, right? I'm Mike." He smiled at me and ran his fingers over my pale arm,

I scowled. Mike Newton was a regular kind of 'playboy' as one might put it. Popular, sporty, every girl's dream, yadda yadda yadda. He had spiked blonde hair and blue eyes, the trademark of every boy like him. He loved soccer, played it all the time. I could tell by the green and blue Frankenstein High school-colors soccer jersey he wore. (A/N: I don't know if those are the real colors, just pretend.)

It was obvious he wanted to 'get' me. But how a gothic, black-loving bat girl attracted a blonde and sporty 'top-of-the-school-person' was far, _far_ beyond me. I supposed he was nice, but he also reminded me of an overexcited puppy.

"Yes. I'm Bella." I told him tersely, swatting away his fingers as I gathered up my tote and started to get out of my seat to leave. He put a hand on my shoulder, preventing my leaving.

"What do you want?" I snapped, still jumpy from the dark eyes of Edward Cullen.

He cast his eyes down my body and back up, licking his lips. I shivered, feeling perhaps even _more_ like a piece of meat then when Edward Cullen looked at me.

"Spit it out, soccer snob." I quickly thought of a suitable nickname for the perv, stepping back and starting anxiously for the door. He followed me.

"Just wantin' your name, monster girl." He waggled his eyebrows and I gagged inwardly.

"Okaaay..." I forced a grin, but averted my eyes. I could see the entrance to the gym not too far away.

"Hey, what was up with Cullen back there? He doesn't usually act like that." Snob told me, scratching his spiky head. I groaned internally. So that _wasn't_ Edward Cullen's normal behavior?

"I dunno. We didn't exactly talk." I shrugged, playing dumb.

Mike nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, those Cullens are weird people. There's a little rumor that's been going on that the whole family's a bunch of _vampires_." He laughed.

I balked, whirling on Snob. "What?!" Vampires? Vampires?

He grinned. "You'd like that, huh, monster girl?"

I resisted the urge to strangle him. "Stop messing around! What can you tell me about them? Tell me!" I commanded, thirsty for knowledge.

He put his hands up in the 'I surrender' sort of way, and said, "Sorry, geez. I don't really know, OK? They're weird people who do weird things. Vampire things." He grinned again, tauntingly.

Obviously, I wasn't going to get much out of Mike. Not today, at least. Snarling, I pushed past him and stomped into the gym, leaving him laughing by the bulletin boards.

I think my life is screwed up. I was actually looking forward to P.E., so long as I got away from Soccer Snob.

Luck was not on my side. It never is, really, but today I was starting to rue my bad streak.

It turned out Mike was in my gym class, and today I was his badminton partner.

I hated him.

I hated gym.

I hated badminton.

I _hated_ this ugly uniform! They didn't even let me keep on the socks, so I felt exposed and normal. Eww... normal.

Looks like I'm having a pretty bad day, huh?

"Keep your eye on the bird, Swan!" Coach Clapp yelled at me from across the gym. I grimaced, but tried to hit the stupid piece of plastic all the same.

"Yeah, monster girl," Soccer Snob taunted, swinging his racket around mockingly, "Keep your eyes on the prize."

Once again, as I stepped forward to swing, I misjudged and tripped over my own foot, yelping in shock and accidentally letting my racket go in mid-swing. It flew across the net, right at Mike.

The birdie hit the ground a few feet from me, sad and pitiful, lying forgotten, while I hit the ground and my racket hit Soccer Snob. In the nose. The racket clattered to the floor.

"Crap!" He shrieked, and half the gym turned to look at him, "The monster girl can't hit a bird, but she throws with the force of a semi! Crap!" He pressed his hands to his nose and sank to his knees, blood beginning to seep through his fingers. I felt sickened.

Oddly enough, for a girl who loves bats and vampires, I can't stand blood. No, not the sight of it, _that's_ fine. It's the _smell_. The smell is enough to bring me to the ground; it's rusty and salty, and seems to trigger a gag reflex deep within me. I get nauseated and have to leave the scene as soon as possible.

Yeah.

Anyways, as Coach Clapp and most of the other students gathered around the cussing Soccer Snob, I picked myself up off the ground and slunk out the back, out into the fresh air and overcast weather of Forks. My nausea instantly cleared. I shivered in my accursed gym shorts and, grumbling, jogged haphazardly towards my truck.

When I found it, I was rather surprised to discover that the black Volvo was no longer parked next to me. I glanced around, but to no avail, the car was gone. I blew it off; the car was probably some teacher's who's shift was over.

I hopped into my truck and instantly fired up the engine, turning the heat up high and gathering my legs up at my chest, so I was curled in a conventional ball. As expected, the truck roared like a lion and hummed louder than an electric guitar in the band _My Chemical Romance_.

As my shivering toned down, and the heat consumed the truck, I realized I had left my tote and my _real _clothes back in the locker room. "Crap." I muttered, sinking lower in my seat, but with no intentions of getting out of the warm cab. I'd get them tomorrow. I decided I was skipping the rest of school today.

_Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head_

Suddenly, an idea struck me. I smiled and sat up a bit.

Why not kill some time at the Berkshire Mansion? Shoot down some of my curiosities? Maybe Mike's words would hold some meaning. I was dying to find something worth my time here in Forks, and _vampires_ would be just the thing. I'd be back at Charlie's by dinnertime, and he'd have no clue what I'd done. No one would see me; as long as I was careful, I wouldn't be detected. The doctor's at work, the kids at school. The stay-at-home-mom might be an issue, Esme, I think it was, but as I said, I'd be careful.

Filled with new motivation, I unfolded my legs and fingered the steering wheel, practically bouncing with anticipation as I noisily backed out of Frankenstein High's crowded parking lot.

When I turned onto the main road, I realized I would have to find Berkshire Mansion purely on memory. I'd been there before, as a child who didn't know the meaning of the word 'trespassing', but the memories were vague. Oh well.

After a while, I turned right, onto a dark, winding path filled with innumerable trees and clumps of dark moss that hung down from the twisted branches. This much I remembered.

My truck's ruckus echoed forlornly off the shadowy forest as I bumped through the dirt path. I supposed that if I had a nicer car, it wouldn't be so much of a hassle, but I liked my truck.

I drove on the long, green path for about ten minutes, and then had to stop at a fork. This came the hard part. I'd have to choose, because I couldn't remember which path was the right one, and I couldn't see that far down either one. It was a 50/50 chance of getting it right and finding the mansion, or getting it wrong and becoming lost, or worse. I yawned.

Left? I glanced at the left path.

Or right? My eyes flickered over to the opposing choice.

No... left? Again, my gaze strayed back to the left.

How about... right? I looked into the deep twists of the path on the right.

Oh, sure. Why not?

Making a split second decision, I revved my truck and directed it towards the path on the right, eager to see whether it would be the Mansion I would face, or impending doom.

As I pushed my way through the twisted path, I noticed the undergrowth was becoming thicker, and the trees closer together. The ground was becoming swampier as well, causing my truck to dip and fight its way through the mud. I persevered my quest furiously, jamming my foot on the gas pedal like I was stomping on a Dance Dance Revolution mat, but when I sank about a foot into the bog, quite unable to extract myself, I knew I was sunk. Literally _and_ figuratively.

"Dammit. Damn it all." I cursed, slamming a fist onto the dashboard. I sighed. Not only was I stuck in the middle of nowhere, hungry and cold, inside a substandard truck and with no means of communication to the outside world, but I wasn't even wearing an acceptable outfit! DAMN!

I growled and sank into my seat, ready to dully wait out the steadily approaching night in solitude.

The minutes passed slowly, mockingly. I curled up into a ball again, thinking ruefully about how I _should_ have taken the _left_ path. To the would-be vampires. Maybe, just maybe, someone would find me. Eventually. Perhaps by then, I'd be hopelessly emaciated, dehydrated, and possibly delusional. But alive. Maybe they'd find me. Maybe. Mayb—

_Tap. Tap. Tap._ Came a sound on my window.

"GAH!" I exclaimed, jumping up and whirling towards the source of the noise. "What the heck?!" I screamed, staring in shock at the being on the other side of the glass.

It was a woman. She looked about 25 or so, with wavy, caramel colored hair and a heart-shaped face. She was very beautiful, almost inhumanly so, with soft features and a concerned expression. She was also deathly pale, and purple shadows were settled beneath her eyes. Which were the oddest shade of gold. "Are you alright?" She asked me.

I just stared.

She smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I'm Mrs. Cullen, but you can call me Esme. I was gardening, and I heard this noise... like a truck...?" She rose an eyebrow.

Esme? Cullen? I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I closed it again. And then burst out, "Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry! I was just, eh, exploring the woods... in a truck... and got lost, you know? Yeah, um... sorry?" I wrung my hands and searched her eyes for an apology. I hoped she would believe my ramblings, pitiful as they were.

She laughed, to my relief. Was she a vampire? I cast my eyes over her face. She looked normal enough, no fangs or anything...

"It's quite alright, dear. It's the weather's fault, let's just say. The mud is almost more than I can stand." She laughed lightly. "Would you like to come to my house, so you can call your parents?" Her smile was genuine and didn't reveal any pointed canines, to my disappointment and relief.

I considered her offer. Esme seemed nice enough, not likely to kidnap me and hold me hostage or something. On the other hand, she _could_ want to eat me. Should I enter the home a possible vampire, or freeze to death in my car? The choice was obvious to me.

"Thanks... Esme. I think I will." I smiled timidly and opened the car door, hopping out cautiously. I noticed Esme hold back an odd smile when she noticed my 'fangs'.

"No problem, dear." she said, and started walking through the trees. I followed after a moment's hesitation.

To my vast surprise and... vexation, the mansion was only about twenty feet from where I got myself stuck. _So close, and yet, so far..._I thought to myself sheepishly as Esme floated through her yard.

I very nearly gasped when I saw the Bershire Mansion up close.

The last time I had seen the Mansion, two years ago, in fact, it had really been nothing short of a haunted house. Grey and rotting exterior, splintered shutters, cracked windows, you name it. Your typical, run-of-the-mill haunted house. I had loved it.

Now, it was transformed almost beyond recognition. Professional white paint job, perfectly restored shutters and windows, elegant window boxes, WOW. Now, it looked like one of those amazing Victorian style mansions that only the richest of aristocrats owned. Not vampires, but... I think my jaw was dragging behind me on the ground.

"Did you do this?" I asked, awed. Esme laughed, obviously pleased by my reaction.

"Yes. I'm a home designer."

"Wow." Was all I could say.

We climbed up the extravagant porch, and Esme held open the elegant mahogany front door for me. I nodded in thanks before entering the dwelling I barely recognized.

The interior was even more exquisite. It was spacious, and I was both shocked and amazed to see that the entire back wall had been stripped away and replaced with glass. It was an impressive sight. A big improvement to the dust and decomposition from before.

"This way." Esme told me, interrupting my ogling. I followed her down a hall and into a large carpeted room, filled with beautiful paintings and a ring of couches. A phone sat in the corner of the room.

"Thank you." I told her before I walked over to the phone, picking it up and dialing Charlie's number at the police station.

Ring. Ring. Ring. "Hello?" Charlie's voice answered, sounding bored.

"Hey, Charlie. It's me, Bella." I told him with false cheerfulness. I cast my eyes around for anything vampire-related, being the paranoid fool I am.

"Bella? Why are you calling from the Cullen's? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Charlie asked me in a surprised voice.

"Huh?" How did he know that?

"Caller ID, Bells. Now answer the question." He sounded worried.

"Oh, uhh... I'll tell you later. Can you pick me up, please? My truck, eh, got stuck." I laughed nervously as Charlie groaned. At last, he sighed and said,

"Fine. I'll see you in twenty minutes, Bells, and you have a lot of explaining to do." He hung up.

I sighed, set the phone back on the receiver, and turned to face Esme, who had been waiting patiently the whole conversation.

"Thanks for letting me use your phone, I mean, after that..." I gestured sheepishly towards the general direction of my truck outside. She laughed, shaking her head.

"It's nothing, dear. When I was younger, I climbed a tree thinking I was on top of the world, and then ended up on the ground with a broken leg." Her eyes were a million miles away, remembering. A faint smile could be seen on the edge of her features. She snapped back into reality after a moment. "Make yourself at home, dear. I get lonely when the children are at school." And then she was gone, almost like she had never been there in the first place.

Yeah. The Cullens were weird people all right. But I liked Esme, at least _she_ was nice.

Sighing, I settled myself on one of the cushy leather couches, smoothing out my accursed gym shorts and cursing the day physical education became a required course.

I looked around the majestic room, still marveling its beauty. I glanced at the paintings, which were remarkably well done. The first painting, one on the upper left corner of the wall, showed dark cobbled streets, shadows jumping out from the paint. The next picture was of a mountain scene, green trees and grass seeming to converge on my eyes as I looked at the image.

The other pictures still told yet other stories. There was one of the English Channel, France, Italy. The Italian ones especially caught my interest, all filled with the same four people. Two with black hair, one with white hair, and one with blonde hair. It was quite intriguing.

Not realizing how much time had passed, I started when I heard the sound of Charlie's cruiser pulling up into the Cullen's driveway. I stood up, preparing to face my torture. I took one last look around at the awe-inspiring gallery, before departing the room towards the front door.

I passed Esme in the kitchen. She smiled at me and said, "Bye, Bella. It was nice meeting you."

"And you too." I told her, genuinely sad to leave the mansion. I quickly made my way towards the front door.

I was almost at the entrance hall, when a certain door caught my eye. It looked like the kind of door leading to a secret passageway, or a hidden room. It was slightly ajar, just asking to be investigated. I hesitated, eager not to keep my father waiting, but when Fate dangles a sugar cube in front of your nose, who are you not to reach out and take it?

I glanced around for Esme, before pulling the door open and slipping in.

I gasped.

_Oh and I'm gonna buy this place is what I say_

_Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head._

**Cliffie! Bad, bad VeggieVamp! Oh well, I guess you guys will just have to wait and see what comes next, huh?**

**The name of the next chapter is called, A Light in the Attic.**


	4. A Light in the Attic

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Twilight or Vampire Kisses.

**Thanks for the reviews! The song for this chapter is **_Toys in the Attic_**, by Aerosmith.**

The large room was swathed in white cloth. Cloth, cloth, cloth everywhere. The white sheets covered every available surface, from the furniture to the windows and wall.

I stepped forward tentatively, stepping on a sheet of the snowy fabric, and accidentally pulling it off whatever it was covering.

I turned around in surprise, to face the mystery object that I had just unclothed, and...

Saw myself?

_Voices scream_

_Nothing seen_

_Real's the dream_

I was looking at a teenage girl with long brown hair tied up in a ponytail, brown eyes encircled with black cosmetics, while dressed in a hideous gym uniform and showing off skinny ankles and a pair of black Converse Chucks.

Huh? Am I going mad? My mind creating delusional clones of myself? My anti-social behavior finally catching up with me? Am I going schizo?

Cool.

Oh, wait. I sighed, and realized nothing of the sort had happened, and that I was simply staring at my reflection in a mirror. I eyed the ornate gold frame of the dusty mirror, rectangular in shape. It was a full-body mirror, even taller than me in its size. It looked old, maybe Victorian era, maybe?

Quickly, I reached over and grasped a random handful of nearby white cloth, carefully pulling it off of whatever it covered.

More mirrors. Different styles, different eras. There were big mirrors, small mirrors, even _round_ mirrors, for goodness sakes! I continued pulling sheets off of the mirrors. I discovered, after all the sheets were pooled on the floor, that the whole room consisted of _MIRRORS_.

And...

Who covers their mirrors with sheets, anyways? No one, except...

Vampires.

Vampires don't have reflections.

So they cover their mirrors.

They cover their mirrors.

Perfect. I felt my mouth twist into a Cheshire cat grin.

Perhaps the Cullens were vampires. Could they be? My toes tingled at the very thought of _real_ vampires. It was practically a fantasy I'd had since I was a little kid.

But what if it was all just silly gossip? What if this was just a storage room, and Esme Cullen didn't want her mirrors to get too dusty? Was I being paranoid again?

Probably.

But..._real_ vampires?

Or silly gossip?

I imagined the angel-Bella on one of my shoulders, and the devil-Bella on the other.

Vampires?

Gossip?

Truth?

Lies?

_Vampires_?

At this point, I realized I was probably just standing like a complete idiot in the middle of a room I probably shouldn't be in, surrounded by mirrors I unwisely uncovered, inside of the house of a possible vampire. I gulped.

Suddenly, I heard a rustling noise from behind me. I whirled, jumping a bit in surprise.

And there stood Edward Cullen, looking like an angel of death in his black leather jacket. I gaped. His handsome face stared at me unblinkingly. I was rather reminded of a statue.

_All of the things that you learned from fears_

_Nothing is left for the years_

Edward Cullen had a curious expression on his face. It wasn't mad, or surprised, or... anything!

It was mere curiosity. He stared me down with a probing intensity, as if... searching. I stood, frozen, as he looked at me.

And at last, he moved. The statue came to life. I remained frozen.

He pulled his arm out from behind his back, where it had been, and brought it out in front of him.

In his hand was grasped the strap of my tote bag. The one I had _thought_ I had left at school...

"Forget something?" He asked in a voice like velvet, his eyes twinkling. "Your father is out front. You'd best not keep him waiting."

I widened my eyes and stared at him like a deer in headlights. What was he doing? What was his problem? Was he _bipolar_? I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He waited patiently, his arm still extended with my tote bag.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I managed after a moment, unfreezing slightly. Why _was_ he here? Tentatively, I inched forward.

"I live here." He said matter-of-factly. Oh. "Chief Swan is getting impatient. You'd best not keep him waiting." Edward repeated. I glanced around. He was standing here, wasn't he? In a room full of mirrors? To my vexation, I noticed he was standing near the wall, quite out of range of the mirrors to cast a reflection. Stupid, clever, possible vampire boy.

"Could you come over here and give it to me?" I asked slyly, feeling suddenly devious, "It's just a few steps."

His eyes became guarded.

"Now, why would I do that?" He inquired in a lilting voice. "Your father is waiting. Please leave my home." His tone suggested finality.

I, however, became more suspicious. I was now only a few feet from Edward, who smiled at me dazzlingly, dazing me momentarily.

Abruptly, I looked into his face. There was something different, drastically so...

"Did you get contacts?" I blurted out without thinking. I noticed the difference. It was his eyes.

They were no longer black.

But gold, a light, buttery gold. It lightened his exquisite face tremendously, making him appear more... subdued? Docile? What word do you use when an vicious tiger calms to a satisfied kitten?

OK, maybe not the best thing to compare Edward Cullen to, but the difference was that noticeable.

"No." He said, tilting his head slightly. He frowned. I glared. He was lying, that much I was sure of. I would uncover the truth.

"Riiight." I sighed and scowled, before lashing out and snatching the bag from his hand. I held it tightly to my chest with both arms. Edward Cullen averted his eyes, and stepped back, mumbling,

"Goodbye Bella Swan. Do not linger. And, by the way," A smile ghosted his face, "I like your fangs." And then he disappeared, almost in the blink of an eye. I blinked. Was it a trick of the light? Jeesh. And I don't think I ever told him my name...

Weird.

Taking haste, I quickly pushed open the door of the mirror room, looking back only once before practically sprinting out of the Mansion's front door. I didn't look back after that.

The cool evening air bit at my face, arms, and legs as I hurried towards Charlie's police car. The passenger door was already open, and I quickly threw myself in, slamming it closed behind me.

Charlie was mad. I could see that instantly, the fury in his eyes. He wordlessly started the car and pulled out of the driveway, speeding down the dark and twisted path that I had so much trouble with. I said nothing, and glanced over my shoulder at the majestic building behind us. It was all dark, except for one small light that flickered on in the attic. I blanched, and turned forward again.

_In the attic_

_Lights_

I looked out the window and sighed silently. It was almost twilight, one of my favorite times of the day. The end of the day and the start of the night.

"What were you _thinking_?" Charlie at last exclaimed as we turned onto the main road about twenty minutes later. He never once took his eyes off the dark road.

I shrugged weakly. "I suppose I wasn't."

He huffed aggravatedly, and said in a quiet, although surprisingly parental tone, "Bella, I've known you long enough to figure out why you went there today, and I'm just going to tell you right now. Do not go back. Ever."

Whatever I had _thought_ Charlie was going to do... yell, scream, or forsake me for trespassing, it most certainly wasn't _that_. He had been _worried_, and was warning me not to return for my _safety_.

"You believe those rumors?" I asked softly, still staring out the window. My tote sat in my lap.

He shifted uncomfortably, from the corner of my eye, and my question was answered.

"Why?" I pressed, sure that no one would just _say_ that a random family just _happened_ to be _vampires_. Surely, there were reasons?

He sighed, obviously displeased by my curiosity and obvious interest in the subject. However, he said, "They are never out on sunny days, Bella. There's not a cross in the house, and I would know. We did a search once when the Emmett boy was convicted of marijuana selling, although he wasn't guilty. False lead. Anyways, and..." His expression darkened, "Last week, Mrs. Stanley swore she saw Mrs. Cullen order a pasta marinara specifically _without garlic_, at that one Italian joint, La Bella Italia, in Port Angeles." Charlie sat, grimly watching the road as I watched him, absorbing the facts he'd given me.

_Never_ out on sunny days?

No crosses in the house?

_No_ garlic?

And today I figured out they kept their mirrors _strictly_covered.

Well, the evidence pretty much points out the answer.

I grinned twistedly.

"Bella, I don't like that smile." Charlie said worriedly.

"You wouldn't." I told him.

"Stay away from the Cullens, Bella. Perhaps it's just gossip, but I want you to be safe." He urged me, and then would say no more on the subject the rest of the way home.

The next day at school, dressed in my usual combat boots, fishnets, and a black Spandex mini-dress under an Evanescence t-shirt, I walked down the halls at Frankenstein High as if nothing had happened the night before. Nothing at all. Sadly, I had removed my 'fangs'.

Angela met me after lunch.

"Oh my gosh, Bella, I can't believe Halloween is only in two days! Two days! What are you going to be? I'm not sure what I want to be... Ben's going to be Spiderman." She rolled her eyes and I grimaced. Again, with the comic books! Chill, man, chill!

Due to the recent discoveries I ha made I had rather forgotten about my favorite day of the year. H-A-L-O-W-E-E-N. Halloween, or Hallow's Eve, for oldies like me.

I loved, loved, loved Halloween. It was the _only_day of the year I was praised for my appearance, rewarded for my behavior. Plus, there's free candy. The temporary tattoos and spider rings are the real gold, though.

The black and orange swathing every visible surface, crows and bats dominating the night sky, shadows and ghouls lurking in every corner! It gave me the creeps and the chills.

And I loved it.

"I don't know either." I told her, "Something good. Something unforgettable."

And then I had an epiphany. I remembered the little burn-fight I'd gotten into with Lauren, Queen of All Things Mean, and instantly knew what I wanted to be. It was pretty scary, too.

"You'll see." I said to Angela dismissively.

I parted ways with perhaps my only real friend in Forks at the bulletin boards, and set off towards Biology.

This was the class I'd been dreading. It contained Edward, who, until perhaps last night, had given me extensive reasons to believe he hated me. And to believe he was a vampire. But I don't know, even last night had been sketchy.

Cautiously, I pushed open the door with bated breath, scanning the room for Edward and his bronze hair. Nope. Nada. Zilch. Good. I breathed out a sigh of relief and quickly scurried to my seat as class started to arrive.

I was still jumpy, so I hastily pulled out a binder and started doodling on it with a Sharpie. A bat her, a bat there... The moon there, a twisted tree here, another bat... I was soon lost in my art, drawing out a spooky cat, until...

"You might want to shade it's fur a bit more. It's looking 2-D right now." A velvety smooth voice told me, and a long, pale index finger appearing on my paper, pointing at the little cartoon cat. I scowled.

"Well, perhaps we aren't all artistically gifted, Mr. Cullen." I frowned and shut the binder, stowing it in my bag. I looked up.

Edward Cullen was looking stunning today in black cargo pants and a HIM muscle shirt, the sleeves pushed up to the elbows, and doing it's job very well. I stared perhaps a second too long at his mouth-watering six-pack, before shaking myself and glaring at him. He returned my glare with a heart-rendering smile, crooked to perfection. He far from resembled Dracula, or Nosferatu, at this point.

"Just critiquing." He said, taking his seat. I noticed Soccer Snob eyeing us with distaste. "Art is but a plaything to me." He said mysteriously.

_Toys, toys, toys_

_In the attic_

"Whatever." I replied just as Mr. Banner walked in.

"Alright, class take your seats." Mr. Banner waved impatiently at a few stragglers, "Today we will be continuing our exploration of mitosis and meiosis. Partner up with the person sitting next to you." He began passing out pieces of paper, a set of slides, and a microscope to each table. I sighed when he handed me mine; I'd already done this lab and it would be no challenge whatsoever. Mitosis was old-school stuff to me.

"Ladies first?" Edward grinned at me and winked. I gaped.

Why was he being so friendly? Not a day ago, he was glaring at me like Satan's spawn!

"What's wrong with you? Are you bipolar, or something?" I scathingly voiced my inward questions from the night before, clicking my black nails on the black lab top.

Edward chuckled. The sound was soft, like butter, and utterly entrancing. Not to mention, infuriating. He shook his head. "I don't believe I know what you're talking about."

He looked up at me through his lashes, his ocher eyes smoldering with an intensity I found irresistible. I stopped breathing, and my heart did flip-flops.

I snorted, shaking off my reverie, and snatched the microscope. I pulled it over to myself, ignoring the now-grinning Edward, and clipped the first slide in.

The configuration of the cells' phase was obvious. I took one look at the small masses of coiled chromosomes and immediately declared, "Prophase." with a yawn. Edward looked mildly impressed.

"May I?" He inquired. I could tell he was skeptical of my judgement, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

He gently slid the microscope away from me and took a peek. His assessment lasted even shorter than mine had. He smiled and said, "Give the lady a prize." I rolled my eyes as he wrote down the answer on our paper.

And so went the next five minutes. Interphase. Anaphase. Metaphase. Telophase. Phase after phase after phase. It was infuriatingly boring.

We were done before anyone else, and now all I had to do was try and ignore the insufferably sexy presence next to me. It was very hard, and I could always feel his stare boring into my back.

After a few minutes of torture, Mr. Banner came over to find out why we weren't working. He peeked over our shoulders at our paper, scanning over the answers. He frowned.

"Didn't think Miss Swan should get a chance with the microscope, Mr. Cullen?" He asked reproachfully. I made a small noise of indignance that he didn't even consider _me_ to be as intelligent as _Edward_. Edward frowned also.

"I'm afraid that's not the story, Mr. Banner. Bella here identified three of the five."

Mr. Banner looked at me in surprise. I glared at him. "Were you in the advanced program in Phoenix, Miss Swan?"

I nodded stiffly. "Not with onion root, though."

"Whitefish blastula?"

Another stiff nod.

Mr. Banner looked between Edward and I before sighing, "Well, I guess it's good you two are partners." He left to go help some of the students with their hands raised. I plucked a compact out of my pocket and started touching up on my black lipstick.

"Soo..." Edward's voice interrupted my playing-cosmetician. "I have been wondering..."

I turned slightly. "Yes?" I prompted him.

"Why were you at my house last night?" His eyes burned into mine with the same probing intensity from before. I blanched.

No way was I going to admit I had been _vampire_ hunting. I set my jaw and looked straight forward, away from his eyes, and at the blackboard.

The bell rang. How cliche, saved by the bell.

_Leaving the things that are real behind_

_Leaving the things that you love from mind_

Read the author's note!

**Another chapter, dead and gone... Hope you liked it. **

**OKAY! To clear some things up! Some of the things in my story will be DIFFERENT!**

**1. The Cullens will be more like the 'Dracula' kind of vampire.**

**2. In other words, they ARE 'allergic' to garlic, for lack of a better word, mirrors and cameras are useless, and crucifixes and holy water ARE BAD!**

**3. The only things that WILL remain untrue is the 'sleeping in coffins' part. They won't sleep. Sun still makes them sparkle. And the wooden stakes, why don't YOU try shoving wood through granite?!**

**Soo, I guess this adds a little twist, hopefully? It'll be how MY story is, so suck it up!**

**REVIEW! Next chapter is Halloween.**


	5. Halloween

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Vampire Kisses.

**Someone asked if Mike Newton is posing as Trevor in this story, and that answer to that question is: what do you think? Sure, fine, whatever. Yeah, OK, I guess. Whatever you want, as the reader. I suppose that, generically, he is.**

**Anyways, here's the next chapter. The song for the chapter is** _This is Halloween _**from The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, surely you've heard it before?!**

**Sorry for the wait, but I wanted this chapter to be perfect.**

_**Bella's Point Of View**_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_

_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night_

This was it, Halloween night. The smell of pumpkin spice and candy wafted through the air, and the clouds were for once giving us a break.

A full moon, round and bright, shone mysteriously from the black sky on the best night of the year. A slight haze of fog drifted down from the mountains, causing the effect to be ever more eerie. I licked my lips, which were for once NOT BLACK.

For my ever so brilliant costume, I forced myself to leave behind my Spandex and combats, my Kohl and lipstick, for an even creepier guise.

Now, I was standing in the dim light of Charlie's porch, clutching a generic orange pumpkin basket in my right hand and shivering in the slight breeze. I was dressed in a pink Hollister hoodie, underneath which was a pink camisole, the lacy hem just poking out from under the hoodie. I was also garbed in a white and orange striped and pleated mini-skirt, along with a pair of white leather sandals. My lips were smeared with an unfamiliar candy lip-gloss, and my eyes were lined with green just above my lids. I had redone my nails in a French manicure, and my brown hair was done up in an uncomfortable ponytail. I held a voluminous Prada purse in my left hand.

If I had looked into a mirror, I surely would have broken it.

Any guess as to who, or rather, _what_ I was?

_I am the clown with the tear-away face_

_Here in a flash and gone without a trace_

At last, I decided it was an appropriate time to go. With one last glance at the moon overhead, I skipped down the porch steps and out into the night.

Now, one might think that someone as old as I, seventeen, in fact, would be humiliated to be seen "trick-or-treating". That I would rather 'be seen dead'. Not true, not true. As I said before, Halloween is my thing, and _no one _is going to take it away from me. Not even age.

One also might think that in a town as small as Forks, no one would even _bother_ to go trick-or-treating. Also untrue. Our local Forkians are proud sponsors of extremely 'scary' decorations about this time of the year, being able to use the environment to their advantage. The nearby trees and forests are extremely frightening when used to that advantage.

I crunched down Charlie's driveway, smiling brilliantly as I sauntered towards the Forks equivalent of 'suburbia'. In reality, it was just a few lonely cul-de-sacs of houses, most containing the majority of the Forks' population, but let's not be pessimistic, alright?

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_

_Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

To reach the houses, I was taking a little shortcut I had discovered on one of my visits here when I was nine. I had to go through the forest.

The condensed trees reared up around me, waves and walls of twisted trunks encircling the familiar path. Gnarled branches hung down above my head, dead leaves and mosses just waiting to fall off and onto the cold ground. This_ was_ Fall, after all. And I would know this path, even in the dark of night.

Bats flew about in scattered groups, screeching into the night as a means of finding their way home. Stars sparkled above as well, little pinpricks of light contrasting against night's deadly blanket. I sighed in ecstasy at the sheer beauty. Thank GOD for the absence of clouds...

Apart from the wondrous beauty of nighttime that so many other people in the world overlooked, I also kept my eyes peeled for the corresponding danger it held.

At night, you never knew what was lurking out there. You never knew what unseen eyes watched your back. You never knew until it got you. So I was sure to be quiet, listening intently for hidden signs of danger. The dry leaves barely crunched beneath my sandals.

Soon, I reached the safety of the cracked sidewalk, and reluctantly left the lugubrious wilderness that I loved behind. I was in suburbia now, where said wilderness was not as much appreciated.

Continuing to skip, I made my way through the little cul-de-sacs, stopping wherever a light was on. There was a disturbing amount of smiling old ladies.

One particular encounter with a lady known as 'Old Miss Tayke', according to the locals, would probably have me shaking in my combats for the rest of eternity.

I rang her cracked doorbell with ease, as I considered myself to be the 'master of all things Halloween.' It echoed through the large house eerily. I shivered with pleasure.

There was a creaking noise, of slow, soft footfalls taking their time. The loud _clunk_ of a walking stick was heard every other step. I waited patiently, softly bouncing on the balls of my feet.

I heard as the footfalls got louder, the clunks closer, and finally, soft, ragged breaths just behind the door.

And then the door started creaking open, little by little, at a snail's pace rivaling the speed Soccer Snob takes while attempting to solve a linear equation. I held my breath, as a wizened old hand with an unmistakable resemblance to a tan colored, scrunched up paper bag appeared out of the shadows of the door. I grimaced at the sight of the snake-like blue veins protruding overtly from the wrinkled skin, and the cracked, yellowed nails.

"Trick-or-treat." I said in a monotone, leaning my hand against 'Miss Tayke's' porch banister.

"Ooh, heellooo dearie." I was surprised that the woman's voice wasn't cracked or faded with age, like her nails. Instead, it was high and sing-song, carrying a melodious quality. "What have we here, tonight?" She asked in her cantabile tone.

"A girl." I know, I know, real descriptive.

"Oooh, I'm afraid you'll have to do better than that, dearie." She cackled and pulled the door completely open, revealing herself.

_I am the one hiding under your bed_

_Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red_

_I am the one hiding under yours stairs_

_Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair_

Whoa.

She was, like, one, big, huge, wizened DRIED FRUIT, God! Her fingers were like dried paper, but her round body shape made her resemble a giant, dried grape. A raisin, yeah. Her old, tanned face held wisdom and age, but most of all, a resemblance to a large, dried apricot. This fruit was dressed in a bursting orange blouse and a ragged old skirt.

I gaped, and mechanically held out my pumpkin. Miss Tayke smiled fruitily, and dropped, you guessed it, a bag of dried apple slices into the molded plastic. I blanched.

"Apple?" I asked incredulously, leaning over my pumpkin so I could make sure of what I saw.

She cackled heartily, "Ooh, yes dearie! They're homemade, and if you eat enough, you'll be just like me, one day!" Again, she let out a laugh, and retreated within her house, slamming the door behind her.

And so, I was left, shaking miserably on the dim porch of a giant, dried grape, left only with a bag of crappy dried apples and a promise that if I ate enough of them, I, also, would become a giant dried fruit.

Whoo me.

Disgustedly, I escaped the woman's yard and stomped down the cracked sidewalk, casting my eyes around for _someone_ worth visiting.

I barely even noticed when a dark green minivan pulled up along the dark road, driving slowly beside me. The horn beeped, and I whipped my head around angrily. What in the world?

The passenger window rolled down, creaking with age. And, you guessed it, Soccer Snob himself grinned out. He was dressed as a generic _vampire_, with the fold-over fangs and the nylon cape all there. I blanched at the ridiculousness of the sight.

"Having a nice time, monster girl? I almost didn't recognize you." He admitted, smiling maliciously and running his hand through his blond spikes in a sad attempt at seduction. Pretty boys don't know when to stop. I sighed.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I _was_ having a good time." I said in a sneer, "That is, until you showed up." His face darkened and I inwardly congratulated myself.

"Watch out monster girl," He snarled, narrowing his eyes, "One day you'll regret your set of a mouth. Oh, and," He grinned malevolently, "Don't you think Cullen would be a great match for you? Monster girl and monster boy!" He cackled and told Tyler, who was driving, to step on the gas.

"You suck!" I screeched after him and his cronies, gesturing furiously with _the_ finger as he disappeared around the corner.

"Stupid Soccer Snob." I muttered blackly as I continued my way down the streets. I was sure no one had noticed how my face flushed, ever so slightly, at the mention of Edward Cullen's name.

And so went the night, house after house, old lady after old lady, until it was exactly nine o' clock at night, according to my wristwatch. My pumpkin was bursting with sweets and weighed about as much as a beluga whale.

Now was the good part, the part I had been waiting for. I glanced away from Fork's suburbia, towards the hills near the horizon. Just visible in the darkness, with the moon shining down, was the black silhouette of Berkshire Mansion, approximately a mile away.

The last stop of the night.

Just for the occasion, I had snuck a pair of Doc Martens into my squooshy Prada bag, and I quickly dumped them out and swapped them for the sandals. I sighed in relief as I felt the familiar boots on my feet.

I hastily set off, ditching my empty Prada bag in an ironic ditch, covering it with dirt so I'd never have to see it's ugly pink leather again. The ground yielded to my Dr. Martens more easily than the sandals, so although my feet were better protected, the leaves audibly crackled, and the mud squelched loudly as I fought my way into the shadowed forest.

I pushed aside branch after branch, stumbled over crevice after crevice, adamantly forcing my way through the moist, dark trees. I knew the journey would be long, strenuous, and potentially dangerous, but after an exhausting and utterly pathetic twenty minutes of bushwhacking, I knew I was beat.

Collapsing against a gnarled tree, still damp from today's earlier precipitation, I trembled exhaustedly and sank to the ground, gathering my legs up against my chest at a sad attempt for warmth. My heavy, candy-filled pumpkin sat at my side, forgotten for the moment. Why was Berkshire Mansion so far away? I knew I had at least thirty minutes to go, after a quick glance in that direction.

I sat hunched, panting and with a slight sheen of sweat, on the moist ground in practically the middle of nowhere. Or, in other words, a dark, forlorn forest in the middle of the night with no such thing as a cell phone. I tiredly brushed some wet leaves off my miniskirt and pushed some sweaty brown hair that hung in my eyes out of my face.

An owl hooted spookily from a tree high above. As I listened more closely, my breathing starting to slow, I also heard the faint calls of crows not too far away. This was the time of their glory, the time of their feasting. The time when no one condemned them to exile for superstitions and myths. The time when they were not called 'murders', while in groups.

I sighed, inwardly slapping myself for comparing myself to _birds_.

After a few more minutes of rest, I grumbled and dragged myself up, ignoring the small avalanche of twigs and leaves falling off of me. I snatched up the thin, plastic handle of my pumpkin and continued my way through the woods.

This time, I took my time. Slowly, I dragged my pumpkin around the trees, resting whenever I needed, before once again moving forward. About twenty more minutes passed, I reckoned.

_I am the shadow on the moon at night_

_Filling your dreams to the brim with fright_

I started suddenly when a shadow flickered across a moonbeam a few feet from where I was walking. It was here and gone, all in the blink of an eye. I hadn't gotten a good look, but I had thought it had resembled a _person_. I repressed a scream, before casting my eyes uneasily around and hurrying forward.

This night was not going as I had planned.

The mental list I had written out had been:

1. Ransack the neighborhood for candy.

2. Travel through forest towards Berkshire Mansion.

3. Arrive at the doorstep of Berkshire Mansion, fit as a fiddle, and surprise the 'possible vampires' by telling them, "TRICK-OR-TREAT!" to their faces.

4. Go home, somehow.

However, so far my night was progressing as:

1. Shuffle through dark, trampy cul-de-sacs and collect candy and dried fruit from a wide array of old women.

2. Stumble and claw way towards the mockingly far away Berkshire Mansion, covered in dirt, sweat, and small twigs/leaves, whilst simultaneously being dressed as a mock-cheerleader and dragging along the weight equivalent of a young elephant.

3. Probably arrive at Berkshire Mansion looking like a starved hobo, at the crack of dawn, scaring the hell out of the "possible vamps" with not only my decrepit appearance, but my smell, god! I smell like mud!

4. Collapse at said doorstep and then be driven home in humiliation by an angry 'possible vamp'.

Isn't the world a wonderful place?

Indeed, indeed.

And, to my great glee and annoyance, my inner frettings managed to pass enough time that I broke out of the treeline of the eerie forest, and into the spacious yard of the Cullens, the moon shining down upon my triumph.

"Wow." I breathed, stretching my legs and quickly half-running through Esme's garden and towards the front door in jubilation and anticipation. I scrambled around the side of the Mansion towards the majestic front. When I made my way around, I paused, and was once again stunned by the amazing transformation it beheld. My heart rate sped up as I cautiously stepped forward.

I thunked up the old wooden porch steps in my Doc Martens, triumph radiating almost tangibly off of my entire being. I glanced down at Mr. Overly-heavy-and-overweight-pumpkin, who smiled up at me with the generic, plastic-molded grin. I couldn't help an oncoming grin of my own as I approached the fancy doorframe.

Even the fright of the 'person shadow' was quite forgotten as I reached forward to ring the doorbell. It was a loud one, echoing off the spacious interior in a resounding chime that no one could possibly miss. Least of all vampires. I smoothed down my hair and hoodie, fixing a smile upon my face. I held my pumpkin in both hands, letting it hang at my side.

Voices could be heard inside. I gulped, but trembled in anticipation.

Footsteps, quick, irate ones. I smiled even wider.

_This is Halloween, everyone scream_

_Wont' ya please make way for a very special guy_

And then the door was flung open with the force of a hurricane, revealing none other than Edward Cullen himself, dressed in nothing but black, skull-patterned boxers and a large, baggy Edward Scissorhands t-shirt. The black spikes of his bangs were thrown wildly around his face, and the rest of his bronzish hair was disheveled to the point of extreme sexuality. I blanched, and he gaped.

He recovered first. "What in the good name of GOD are you doing here at his hour?" He demanded, a muscle going in his eye. Not the best of responses, but...

I smiled at him, ignoring how my knees turned to jelly at the sight of his boxers. "Trick-or treating, duh!" I said proudly, thrusting my pumpkin at him. He only stared, uncomprehendingly.

A chortle drew my attention away from Edward, and to someone standing behind him. It was the big one, Emmett, I think, dressed in long pajama pants and a white tank-top thing, showing of his bursting muscles. "Hey there, Bella, isn't it?" He asked with a smile. I nodded. He chuckled. "You're the first trick-or-treater we've had all night; I was starting to worry." And with that, he strolled casually past his stone-statue of a brother and lifted a large cauldron of candy near the door and held it out to me. "Take all you want, we've no use for it." He told me.

Edward seemed to unfreeze at these words. He glanced at me questioningly before turning on his large brother and scowling ferociously. "What the hell, Emmett?" I held back a laugh, grabbing a fistful of assorted chocolate.

Emmett rolled his eyes at me. Then he turned to his brother and boomed, "What is it, dear brother?" In a tone suggesting he was acting in a badly choreographed play. I snorted.

Edward gave me a disapproving look, although I could easily detect the humor dancing in his eyes. Emmett set the cauldron down. The two had a small glaring contest, neither seeming to gain the upper hand for about two minutes on end, where I decided to cut in.

"Uhh... thanks?" I said awkwardly, withdrawing my pumpkin and smiling good-naturedly at the two. They simultaneously blinked and looked at me in shock, as if they had forgotten I was there.

"No problem." Emmett said, grinning."I'm uh..." He seemed to search for the word, to my great confusion, before finally muttering, "Sleepy? Yeah, I'm going to go _sleep_. I like your costume, by th way." He told me, making his way towards the stairs and departing the scene. I could wear I saw him throw a quick wink at Edward, who chuckled and then turned to me.

_Our man jack is King of the Pumpkin patch_

_Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King_

"You never answered my question." He frowned. "What are doing here at," He glanced at his watch, "ten o'clock at night?" He cast a searching gaze at me, folding his arm over his chest.

"Did I wake you up?" I asked, ignoring his question completely. Did vampires sleep? Emmett's behavior had been extremely suspicious, in my opinion.

He took the bait. "Ah, no. No you didn't." Edward laughed nervously. "I'm always up at this time of night." He mumbled at the end, almost inaudibly. I rose an eyebrow, but said nothing.

There were a few moments of awkward silence, before Edward finally looked up at me and sighed. I sighed, also. He raised his arm to point at something behind me.

"We had your truck towed out of the mud, and my sister, Rosalie, did some modifications on the engine." He smiled a white, perfect smile. I nodded, but frowned.

"You guys didn't need to do that. I _was_ planning on ditching it anyways and buying myself a new one, preferably a black one." I laughed lightly. Edward, to my slight surprise, laughed also.

His face was surprisingly bright. "Yes, I've noticed that you aren't quite like the others. People, I mean." He said, smiling mysteriously, "And really, the car was no trouble at all." He shrugged.

I nodded again. "Hmm... right." I sighed. Really, I hadn't been too happy over someone else spending money to help me, but it was so very hard to argue with a smiling angel, especially one in an Edward Scissorhands tee. "I see you aren't quite like other people as well." I told him, leaning up against the porch banister. "I'm surprised you have no scissors for hands, Edward." I joked. He laughed, and my heart seemed to do double-time.

"Of course." Was all he said. He once again glanced at his watch. I peeked at mine as well. 10: 10. Late. I sighed and said in a sad voice, "I'm afraid I'll have to go. Happy Halloween." I smiled and turned my back on Edward and his Scissorhands shirt. "Goodnight,"I sighed in my departing line, hopping down the steps and onto the cold dirt.

"Goodnight." Edward sighed. To my slight surprise, he sounded reluctant to let me go. A blush crept slowly up my usually-pale cheeks. I balked, and turned around to face him. He stared in surprise.

Quickly, I rummaged through my pumpkin and drew out a black plastic spider ring. I held it up in the moonlight, catching it's silhouette in the bright beams of light. I glanced back at Edward, who watched me curiously.

"Think fast." I smiled and tossed the ring at his head, hopeful that my clumsiness wouldn't ruin the gesture.

A miracle ensued. The ring flew true, and Edward Cullen caught it just before it hit him between the eyes. He fingered it in one pale hand, gentle as if it were made of nothing more than rice paper.

And then I turned away, not looking back to see his reaction. I hurried to my revamped truck, climbed in, and shoved the key into the ignition, careful not to glance Edward's way. To my slight shock, the truck didn't make a noise like thunder, but a loud purr, more like. Wow, Rosalie must be a miracle-worker.

I hastily backed out of their driveway, never once looking back, and drove towards my own home, reveling in the pleasure of the greatest night of the year.

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_

_Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

**Okay! The poll results are in! Most people would enjoy to go to a concert at their favorite band/artist's, accompanied by Edward! An all-day shopping spree in Paris with Alice was second, and a day at the Louvre, which is probably the most famous museum in the world, with Jazz in France was third. Those **_**would**_** be extremely enjoyable days!**

**There's a new poll, check it out!**

**Anyways, don't you HATE it when people give you things like apples on Halloween? It's Halloween, for god's sakes! Once, some old hag made the mistake of giving me an oat bran cookie. She was never seen again... just kidding.**

**Yay! Edward and Bella had their first real conversation! Next chap is, surprisingly, gonna be in Edward's POV. We'll see what happens.**

**Review! Thanks, VV**


	6. Death Invite

Disclaimer: I'm not the owner of Vampire Kisses or Twilight. Or any other bands/songs/gothic culture logos mentioned.

**Okeeee... Thanks for reviewing people! It really does mean a lot! Sorry for the wait, but I was critiquing and fiddling with this chapter for days! Happy Valentine's Day...**

**Here's the next chapter, in Edward's POV just like I promised. The song for this chapter is**_ Boulevard of Broken Dreams_** by Green Day.**

_**Edward's Point of View**_

_I walk a lonely road_

_The only one that I have ever known_

_Don't know were it goes_

_But it's home to me and I walk alone _

I watched morosely as the human girl I had recently fallen for dashed towards her truck and escaped the premises of my house. I had been falling hard.

Even with the modifications Rosalie had bestowed upon Bella Swan's monstrous red truck, my extra-sensitive vampire ears smarted painfully at the noise it's engine gave off. I winced, too infinitesimally for human eyes to notice.

And then the truck disappeared into the night, bumping and trundling like the great beast of a car it was. I watched it until it completely escaped my vision, around at forested bend in the dirt road.

Bella Swan hadn't looked back once. I sighed. I was treading in deep water now. _Very_ deep water.

I gingerly held the spider ring she had given me in between my right thumb and index finger. It was like holding air; I could not put any more pressure on it, for fear of crushing it. It was more fragile to me than a tiny glass teacup, balanced precariously on the horn of a raging bull.

And at the same time, it was more precious to me than all the gold in the world. I fingered it lightly, more gently than a feather against an updraft, caressing the spindle-like legs of the plastic black arachnid fondly. It in itself was cheap and generic, but the gesture behind it meant the world to me; Bella Swan didn't hate me, even after the way I had behaved on that first day.

My emotions were strangers to me. They had been, ever since that fateful day when I had found Bella in Esme's mirror room. Her presence there still mystified me, but I had been absolutely enthralled with the girl ever since the enlightening encounter.

She wasn't like any human I had ever met before.

My mind-reading abilities allow me a peek into perhaps the most private possessions a being can possess; their thoughts. Over the years, the minds of humans, all of them, simply became one big blur. Shallowness and petty ignorance emanated off of every human mind I had ever encountered, whether in the smallest or largest of quantities. It was always there.

Bella Swan was an exception. Her mind was blank to me, completely blocked off and quite silent. I knew it did not mean she was disordered or unintelligent in any way, just... off limits, for lack of a better word.

_I walk this empty street_

_On the Boulevard of broken dreams_

_Were the city sleeps_

_And I'm the only one and I walk alone_

And, although I could not access her mind's inner workings, I could tell she was not the shallow and petty human being I had come to stereotype.

Spunky, yes. Feisty, yes. Different, oh, yes, yes, yes. Not only to me, but to everyone around her. She was a mystery, a silent and arcane beauty who dressed in black and had no fear with flaunting her loves of music and literature. Nothing like the selfish, lustful humans around her.

And her scent, oh, her scent. Never in my 100 odd years of bitter existence had I ever smelled something so lavish, so delicious... Like freesia and lavender, a dangerously enticing aroma that not only threatened my strict 'vegetarianism', but endangered Bella Swan's very life.

But once I had gotten to know her a bit better, to curb my thirst for knowledge rather than gore, I had quickly repressed my inhumane desires for her sweet blood.

I was smitten. Irrevocably so, not only with her floral scent, her magnetic mystique, and her fiery persona, but with her body as well. Shamelessly, I admit to admiring her deliciously curvaceous and luscious form from afar, too many times to count...

And that was a mistake. Perhaps the greatest one in my life.

Sighing at myself, my many mistakes and failures, I carefully slipped the spider ring onto my left middle finger, admiring how it accentuated against my pale skin with it's macabre symbolism. I inhaled deeply, sighing in ecstasy. Even the ring itself smelled like her! Just the faint lingerings of freesia and sweetness, ever so inviting...

In fact, so inviting, why not end the misery? I would never be able to progress in our non-existent relationship, so why not end it all? I could only imagine, what Bella Swan's blood would taste like... sweet... hot... thick...

No. Not her blood, never her blood...

I shook myself angrily and cast my eyes around the dark expanse of trees that consisted of my yard. I could see for miles, focusing on trite details far away, with hawk-like precision and intensity. I could see in the dark, every detail and shadow unmasked by my inhuman eyesight.

I watched wordlessly as Bella Swan pulled into her father's dirt driveway, cutting her engine and hopping out of her truck. All eleven an a half miles away.

I was glad she had a truck to 'escort' her to her house, this time. I didn't like the idea of her, all alone, and practically lost in the middle of the Hoh Forest, at all. I had allowed her to spot me, as nothing more than a shadow, on her way here, as a symbolic warning. I had to keep an eye on her, no?

I chuckled as I admired her taste in costumes. It was obvious she was mocking the 'Ice Princesses' of the modern world, flaunting a purposely pink and frivolous outfit for everyone who knew her to see and critique. I smiled wistfully; vampires had no need to celebrate such pointless human holidays.

_I'm walking down the line_

_That divides me somewhere in my mind_

_On the border line of the edge_

_And where I walk alone _

_Edward?_ A voice in my head called. I whipped my head up, snapping out of my little reverie. The 'voice' was easily enough recognized; Esme. She wanted me to come inside. I smiled slightly at her never-failing maternal qualities.

"Yes, Esme." I said in a regular tone, knowing she would hear me. I cast one last glance at beautiful Bella Swan, who was now fumbling with a key on her dimly lit doorstep, before ghosting into my own home.

Esme and Carlisle commanded an optional dress code for nighttime. As vampires, we do not sleep. Ever. We are frozen in time, never tiring nor changing in any way. And so, if we chose, my family and I could dress in 'pajamas', for the sake of seeming normal. We obliged, although some garments, lacy, red ones in particular, were banned after an unfortunate incident involving Rosalie and Victoria's Secret.

I entered the living room silently, my soft footfalls barely audible, even to a vampire. Esme, Alice, and Emmett were seated in the ring of couches in the middle of the room. They glanced up at my entrance.

Esme and Alice made faces, inwardly criticizing my personal style of dress, for perhaps the millionth time, and chastising me viciously in their thoughts.

_For shame, Edward!_ Esme scolded in her mind, _Black is not your color! I've always said that perhaps blue, or green..._I tuned her out, exasperated by her constant nagging.

Alice, really, was no better.

_...hideous! Absolutely hideous! And that spider ring? As if you need more of that... macabre gothic crap..._

"Ah, but Alice, Esme," I countered my mother and sister calmly, interrupting their thought streams, "I'm afraid that in this century, matters of personal style are set upon those who pursue them." I waggled my eyebrows cryptically and gestured mockingly at my t-shirt, which I had dotingly noticed that Bella had liked.

They scowled.

Emmett smirked at me and thought, _She was pretty, bro. Don't let her go... _I ignored him.

Over the years, I had noticed that I began do drift. Drift away from my family, our friends, our lives...

_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me_

_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating_

_Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me_

_'Till then I'll walk alone_

The reason I dressed in black (I had since 1947), was because I wanted an outward appearance that clearly stated I was miserable inside. That way, people wouldn't constantly be nagging and worrying over why I looked so dang morose.

And I _was_ morose. I inwardly cried for all the things I didn't have; all things I had lost along with my humanity.

My birth family.

The ability to sleep.

The ability to eat proper food.

The ability to shed _real_ tears, dammit!

And a whole lot of other things.

But the biggest thing I had lost had been...

...my soul.

Yes, I believed myself to be a damned, soulless creature that rightfully belonged in the darkest, dankest hell-pit in hell.

Just another reason not to become any closer to Bella Swan. No such angel would ever possibly befriend, much less fall in love with, a heartless demon such as myself. Although I had noticed she was not repelled by such things, quite the opposite, really...

"Excuse me, I am going to retreat to my room, if you don't mind..." I told my mother, sister, and brother in a dreamy voice, still wrapped up in the mystery that was Bella. They eyed me skeptically, although Alice had a very knowing look on her face. I silently escaped the living room, eager to lock myself away in _my_ room.

I passed my father, Carlisle, on the way up the stairs.

"You smell like human, my son." He eyed me suspiciously, searching my clothes and skin for any signs for a slip-up. If you get my drift. I always _had_ been the rebel of the family.

"No, Carlisle, you misunderstand," I said in that same airy tone, "we had a trick-or-treater."

He rose an eyebrow and thought, _Trick-or-treater?_But seemed satisfied I hadn't gone on a wild and bloodthirsty rampage through town. We continued our separate journeys; him down the stairs and me up them.

When I reached the second floor, I kicked into overdrive, zooming at vampire speed towards the last door in the hall; my room. I flung the door open and slammed it closed behind me, shaking the house with the force of my gesture.

My room was, so to say, rather depressive.

_I walk this empty street_

_On the Boulevard of broken dreams_

_Where the city sleeps _

The walls, ceiling, and carpet were all black. No posters, no nothing. The entire south wall was made of tinted glass, showing a darkened view of the world outside, for that _was_ the way I saw it.

The entire west wall was completely covered in shelf after shelf of CDs, favorites collected over the years. The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rites of Spring, Embrace, Black Flag, One Last Wish, The Killers, Good Charlotte, Aerosmith, KoRn, Green Day, and countless other emo, punkrock, and alternative bands. I'll admit to despising the fifties, sixties, and seventies, the 'period of free love' and all that junk. Honestly, tye-dye? Smiley faces? I practically 'died' of humiliation. The year 1974 brought reprise to my lonely soul, the development of these great bands.

Despite my love of hardcore rock, I also appreciated the classics. Debussy, Tchaikovsky, and even a bit of Mozart colored a small corner of shelves in the back.

I had no bed. Obviously, I did not need one. Instead, a nice, black leather couch sat in the middle of the black sea of carpet. A large, expensive stereo sat in a corner. Perfect.

An empty easel and a box of rarely used paints sat sadly in another corner. I had yet to be inspired by this dismal town.

And_that_ was my room. Emmett teased me constantly, always saying that whenever, _if_ ever, I got myself a mate, she'd probably have to take anti-depressants every time we 'did' it, as he said. He received a hard smack on the head, courtesy of moi, in return for his impertinence.

Esme also reproved me for my style. I suppose I can't blame her; she's a home designer, always burying herself in pastels and off-whites.

A thought stream, one I easily recognized to be Rosalie's, came drifting into my mind. _I heard you, Edward, _she hissed at me in her mind_, And don't you even think about it. I saw how you looked at her, and there is no way in _hell_ that a _human_ will ever be welcomed into this family!_ She snarled threateningly out loud; I could hear her from my room.

I sighed sadly. Rosalie was not the warmest member of the family. I, however, detected her ulterior motives, buried deeper within her mind. She was jealous, insanely so, of Bella Swan. Not of her appearance, no, Rosalie was far, far too vain for that, but of the attention she was attracting. Rosalie Rule Number One: If Rosalie is not in the limelight, then NO ONE CAN BE. Quite simple, really. Not to mention, shallow, deceitful, and pig-headed.

"Go suck on Emmett." I sneered at her, ignoring her furious response that was directed my way, and was far too explicit for anyone under the age of 18. And guess what? I'm 17.

And with that, I promptly snatched my stereo remote off the nearby shelf upon which it was placed, and turned the stereo on, blasting out Boulevard of Broken Dreams, by Green Day. I put it on 'repeat' mode, so it would keep playing over and over again.

_Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me_

_'Till then I'll walk alone_

I collapsed on my couch, letting my legs dangle off one armrest, and my head off the other. I closed my eyes, and drifted, pretending to sleep in order to calm my nerves.

_I walk alone I walk alone_

Minutes passed. Hours passed. I remained in my position, still as a statue. I faintly heard the meanderings of my family below. Alice was bored. Esme and Carlisle were watching TV. Jasper was in his study. Emmett and Rosalie were... 'busy'.

_I walk alone I walk alone_

And at last, at 2:47 AM, many thumps and bumps from Rosalie and Emmett's room later, I snapped up like a board, jumping up form my couch with a mission.

I dashed into my closet and threw on some random articles of clothing, a pair of dark-washed jeans, a pair of scuffed Doc Martens, and a black leather jacket, I think, and leaped out of my room and down the stairs.

My adoptive parents snapped their heads up at my hasty entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" Carlisle asked me as I flew to the front door, eager to escape my stuffy house.

"Out." I replied dryly, quickly grabbing a pen and some parchment near the window before taking the doorknob gently in my right hand.

"Come back before dawn." Esme told me matronly, turning back to the television and the _LOST_ world-wide premier.

"Will do." Was all I said before ghosting out the door and into the dark night.

I sighed happily, gently closing the door behind me, as I was enveloped in the cold air of nighttime. The darkness opened up a whole new world to me. I felt like running, running as far and as fast as I could, to nowhere in particular, just because I had that freedom.

Thousands of nature's various scents hit me. The trees, the ground, the many, undetected life-forms lurking through the trees. It was rather overwhelming, but I was used to it.

I ran, reveling in the feeling of power, of exemption. I felt like I was flying, and oh, what a feeling it was! I reckoned I was going about... 100? 120 miles per hour?

I zoomed past tree and rock, leaping over a twelve-foot river at one point, and breaking into a rarely-seen smile as the wind whipped by my running form. I loved running.

And soon, much too soon, I spotted the dark shapes of buildings, signifying that I had reached the town of Forks. A smattering of light were on; mostly of late-nighters and party-goers who'd had a little _too_ much fun on Halloween. I paused near a lighted window of a small grey house, peering through the glass at the scene inside.

Mike Newton was sprawled, eagle-spread and completely unconscious, on top of an equally unconscious Jessica Stanley, both stripped down to nothing except their essential undergarments and holding a can of beer tightly in their immobile fists. I blanched, and snorted at the disgusting sight. Mike Newton nor Jessica Stanley had ever been on my good side. I continued my way forward, shaking my head as I ran.

The moonlight bathed the empty streets of Forks with an eerie glow, accentuating the many cracks and chips on the sidewalk. When I reached the edge of suburbia, the dirt road, in other words, I once again took off at vampire speed, flitting up the empty countryside like nothing more than a shadow.

I stopped at a house, located in a niche of pine trees about eleven and a half miles from my home.

My destination. I clutched the pen and paper tighter to my chest.

The windows were out, and I could hear the soft and methodical thumping of two separate pulses inside.

The Swan residence. I silently strode over to the back of the house, underneath the window that had aromas of freesia and lavender emanating from it. I inhaled, partly to enjoy the scent, and partly to console myself for what I was about to do.

I leaped, carefully and noiselessly ascending onto the windowsill, never making even the slightest of sounds as I landed on the precarious ledge. I steadied myself on the frame, before cautiously prying the window open.

It creaked, and I winced, but that didn't matter anymore.

The moment I opened the window, I was blasted with a tsunami of Bella Swan's alluring scent, dazing me and causing a large pool of venom to gather in my mouth. Thickly, I forced myself to swallow it, cutting off my breathing and remaining still for a moment in order to compose myself. It would be just so _easy_ to slip up, perhaps _too_ easy...

No. Not again, never ever. I tightened my grip on the pen and paper and slowly climbed through the window, silent as a cat.

Bella Swan's sleeping form was sprawled haphazardly across her bed, moving up and down, very slowly, signifying she was asleep and breathing. I cast my eyes around her room, admiring her sense of style. Black, purple, and red, mixed with a bit of vintage gothic culture and band posters, and you have a very attractive setup. I smiled, stroking the spider ring on my finger.

I noiselessly crept to her bedside and kneeled down, observing her sleeping face with interest. She looked so angelic, so peaceful. I sighed in wistfulness and desire. She was so beautiful.

Saddened that we could never truly be, I set a piece of paper down against the dresser, using it as a table of sorts, and began to write.

For after all, if I could not have her as a mate, why not a friend?

_Mr. Edward Cullen requests the company of Ms. Isabella Swan at his home on November 1, 8:00 PM for dinner._

I bit my lip and lifted the pen from the paper. It was short and sweet, and got to the point. Would she accept it? I didn't know. It was, after all, only tomorrow. Or, to be technical, later today, for my watch informed mt that it was now 2:52 AM.

And so I gingerly rolled up the piece of paper and secured the bundle with a nearby hair-tye. I placed the invite of death on Bella Swan's bedside table. Hopefully she'd see it.

And hopefully she'd come. It would be, in fact, my chance to redeem myself. My behavior on the first day had been completely ungentlemanly, which was how I _supposed_ my birth mother had raised me to be.

Bella Swan's sleeping form stirred, and moaned. I froze, fearing I had woken her, but she only flopped about a bit and muttered something incomprehensible. I let out my breath in relief.

"Edward." I froze once again. For it was not I who called my name. I turned around like a cat burglar caught red-handed, ready to bolt if things came to worst.

And still, it was not so. Bella Swan had rolled over once again, (I figured she was a restless sleeper), and muttered my name.

My name. I let out a shaky breath, and bolted for the window, silent as a ghost, flinging it open and disappearing into the black of night, where I belonged.

I didn't even bother to close the window behind me.

_I walk this empty street_

_On the Boulevard of broken dreams_

_Were the city sleeps_

_And I'm the only one and I walk alone_

**There! All done! I hope you liked Edward's POV, I think I like writing in his more than Bella's, but it can't be helped.**

**Anyways, remember the 'shadow' Bella saw whilst trick-or-treating? It **_**was**_** Edward, if you were unsure.**

**P.S. For the poll, most people voted that they would most enjoy spending their Valentines Day with Edward Cullen or Jazz Hale from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, it was a tie. In second was Alexander Sterling, from Ellen Schrieber's Vampire Kisses. Have a happy one, reveling in the fact that you are hypothetically spending this day with your favorite fictional vampire character. Or maybe your real one, if that's the case. :-)**


	7. Shopping Bloodlust

Disclaimer: I am not the proud owner of Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the bands/music/books/ clothes logos, etc. mentioned in the story.

**I have some important things to say. First off, someone whose name I shall not mention contacted me and "reprimanded", to put it lightly, me for my choice in Bella and Edward's band and music preferences. This is a reminder to everyone: Gothic culture is all about dark individuality and personal style, not stereotypical death and depressiveness. Just because Bella doesn't listen to true 'gothy' bands, doesn't mean she can't like pop-punk and **_**be**_** gothic. Honestly, there isn't a whole ocean of difference between the two, anyways, and I didn't want an extremely Goth Bella, who would have probably been too wrapped up in 'death' and 'depressiveness' to even notice Edward, in that case. **

**Back to the point, sorry, um, thanks for the reviews... yadda yadda...**

**Back to Bella POV. The song for this chapter is **_Bloodlust_** by Lyfthrasyr.**

_**Bella's Point Of View**_

_But now I know what has to be done_

_My fate is clear, I'm the chosen one_

I woke up to an uncommon and surprising ray of sunlight shining on my face. I groaned, groggily shying away from it and back into the shadows. I shivered, wondering why the room was so cold, and then noticed my window was open.

"What the..." I muttered, sleepily squinting my eyes at the open window, the black curtains flapping lazily around the black frame. I did not recall ever opening the window, unless I was now sleep-walking as well as talking. Great. I forced myself to drag my body out of bed.

I yawned as I shuffled around my room, glad it was finally the weekend, and the first of November. I hadn't bothered to change out of my 'costume' from yesterday, so I was still dressed in the scary 'girly' getup. I quickly retreated to my closet, furiously tugging the pieces of clothing off of my body and tossing them haphazardly over my shoulder.

I hastily changed into some black skinny jeans and a Nightmare Before Christmas tee, because it was the weekend and I wanted to relax. I pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail.

When I exited my closet, feeling fresher and much, much better, I strolled over to my mysteriously open window and grasped the frame, peering out and at the unusually sunny landscape. The clouds had relentingly parted, revealing the bright yellow disc above that was the sun. Did this mean that the Cullens wouldn't be out today? I glared at the sun, sticking out my tongue and withdrawing my head back into my room, slamming the window shut.

It was then that last night's excursion finally caught up with me. Halloween. Trick-or-treating. My truck. Edward Cullen. The spider ring. I gasped, freezing in shock.

Oh, GOD, what had I been thinking?! Edward _Cullen_?! The possible and extremely hot vampire?! OH, no, no, no...

I was so dumb. He would and _could_ never like me, the klutzy, moody Bella Swan. What _had_ I been thinking, anyways?

I probably _hadn't_ been thinking. That was the problem... That was always _my_ problem...

I sighed. Well, there was nothing to be done now. He had probably just shoved the spider ring into the nearest trash can the moment I had driven out of his driveway. 'Nuff said. End of story, no happy ending. Life has no happy endings.

Spirits considerably dampened, I despondently shuffled out of my room and downstairs, ignoring Charlie, who was seated at the kitchen table and reading the local paper: The Forkian Times.

When I plopped down on the chair opposite him, sighing and looking at my feet, he glanced up from his paper and looked at me. He frowned when he saw the state I was in. I supposed he shouldn't have been so shocked; back in Phoenix, it was basically my signature mood.

"What's up, Bells?" He asked anxiously, setting down his paper. I didn't look up.

"Nothing." I spat, blowing some hair out of my face and glaring up at him. He flinched, and I knew I shouldn't have been taking out my anger at my own stupidity out on him, but I was really in a bad mood. He backed off, shakily raising up the paper to shield his face from my venomous leer.

As I glared at Charlie's now paper-covered face, I scathingly read the headline. I really had nothing better to do with my life, at this point.

_I'm caught in my world_

_Voices tell me to hurt_

It read: NEW HOT TOPIC GRAND OPENING IN PORT ANGELES.

I gasped. A HOT TOPIC?! In Port Angeles? Port Angeles was a small, coastal town about an hour's drive from Forks, famous for it's quaint tourism and cute, small-town window shops. A Hot Topic in Port Angeles was like a Burger King in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.

"Dad, I'm going to Port Angeles today, Okay?" I said with resolve, momentarily forgetting all about last night. I leaped up from my chair, leaving a very confused Charlie sitting at the kitchen table, staring after me in complete cluelessness.

"Um, OK, Bells, but be back before 4:00!" He finally shouted after me once I was halfway up the stairs.

"'Kay!" I screamed at him, my voice high with excitement. I practically ran to my room, hurriedly snatched up my Converse Chucks from the floor and shoving them on, knotting the laces in my haste. I scurried to the bathroom, knocking into walls and stumbling over doorframes, and practically tearing open my make-up bag. I applied the usual eye-shadow and lip gloss, black, of course, knowing that making a statement in Hot Topic was a must.

When I was done, I threw the bag onto the floor and zoomed out of the bathroom, back to my room. I rummaged around the piles of clothes, searching for my purse; a black scrap of leather with an embroidered cross covered in snaking vines and roses. When I couldn't find it, I started panicking. It had all my money, all $4,562!!! It had been the money I'd been saving up for a car, before I knew Charlie had already gotten me one.

Feverishly, I cast my eyes around the room, searching for the thin leather strap, the handle...

I spotted something vaguely resembling a bag on my bedside table, and quickly went to investigate. I pushed off the piled books and cosmetics onto the floor, uncovering my purse beneath. I let out a breath of relief, snagging it up and promptly shouldered the thing.

Suddenly, something on the bedside table caught my eye. It was white. I didn't own anything white, not completely, anyway. Cautiously, I reached out and took the end of it, pulling it out from underneath the Stephen King book it was nestled underneath.

It was a piece of paper, rolled up tightly and secured with one of my hair-ties. I rose an eyebrow, completely mystified. Did Charlie do this?

Curiously, I carefully pulled the hair-tie off and unrolled the scroll-of-sorts, eager to find out what it said.

It read: _Mr. Edward Cullen requests the company of Ms. Isabella Swan at his home on November 1, 8:00 PM for dinner. _In an elegant script that could only be described as ink calligraphy. I gaped, clutching tightly at the slightly curled piece of paper, threatening to rip it.

Mr. Edward Cullen? Inviting Ms. Isabella Swan? To dinner? Tonight? At eight? WTF??? The paper fluttered to the ground, my hands still frozen in the act of holding it.

Okay, first off, how in the good name of _God_ had it gotten _here_? Was Edward Cullen a stalker, or something? Or was this all some big practical joke?

Second off, if this was somehow not a joke or a scam, why would _Edward Cullen_, epitome of hot possible vampirisminvite me, the infamous and clumsy Bella Swan, to dinner? It was so old-fashioned... so stuffy... and so romantic...

I shook myself. No, this was a hoax, I was sure. My resolve was especially hardened after the idiotic mistakes I made last night. Edward Cullen was not interested in me, and this was a big, fat joke.

But what if it wasn't? Did this mean he didn't hate my guts? _If_ it were possible Edward Cullen would waste his time sneaking into my room and giving me dinner invites, would it be worth _my_ time?

Maybe? Yeah. Yes, OK, OK, I would die to go to dinner with Edward Cullen... I would die to go on any kind of date with a _vampire_...

And, as I stood frozen in the middle of my room, pondering this strange occurrence, I had a sudden realization.

What would it be like to be a vampire myself? To live in the night, to suck the blood of the unsuspecting, to belong in the nightmares of countless civilians... perfect...

If I could get Edward Cullen to change me into a vampire, _if_ he was a vampire, what kind of life would I live? A lonely one? A dark one? I didn't know, and I began to let my curiosity get the better of me.

Regardless of Edward Cullen's species, I _would_ be going to his house tonight. Curiosity killed the cat, so they say, but did it ever turn the cat into a vampire? I had no idea, but I would find out.

I bent to pick up the invite, stuffing it into my purse happily. At this point, I wasn't even considering whether I was going for Edward, or if I was going for myself.

I skipped down the stairs with new motivation, bid my goodbye to Charlie, who was now spinning with confusion at my sudden mood changes, and rushed out the door into the alien sun of Forks, perhaps a once-in-a year occurrence, and climbed into my truck, starting the ignition and smiling when it didn't explode with noise. I slipped an old Lyfthrasyr album into the truck's ancient CD slot, turning up the volume till it practically shattered the windshield and blew trees away. I grinned maniacally.

I backed out of Charlie's driveway, ready to begin the hour-long drive to Port Angeles and buy some proper date clothes for tonight.

Perhaps moving to Forks hadn't been such a bad idea, after all.

_By breaking out from my destination_

_I realized that my life can be changed_

**Edward's POV (Back at the Berkshire Mansion, just as Bella departs for Port Angeles)**

I was outside, sitting cross-legged in the shadow of the house, staring at the sky and sun with an almost tangible air of anxiety emanating off me. Inside, I heard Jasper thinking,

_Could you tone it down a bit, Edward? What has you so riled up, anyway...? _I said nothing, only shifting my position so I was conventionally seated in a shaft of sunlight between Esme's chrysanthemum bushes. The sunlight shattered off of my skin, sparking like a diamond and casting small rainbows onto the ground and plants beside me.

Contrasting popular belief, sunlight is not harmful to us vampires. It makes us sparkle, strangely enough, but doesn't harm us in any way. It does, however, condemn us to the shadows where we belong. Obviously, if I walked down Main Street like this, it would raise a few more things than eyebrows.

Also contrasting popular belief, vampires have no use for coffins, if not for ironic decoration. Since we don't sleep, two and two should click together easily enough. Wooden stakes were nothing short of a joke; wood through granite hard skin is an impossibility even the dimmest of fools should be able to comprehend.

_Death wants to take his eternal toll_

_I'm satisfied, for this time_

Cameras and mirrors have no use to us, for they don't work. Some say mirrors are the windows to our souls, and because vampires cast no reflections, it leads to the idea we _have_ no souls. I find that idea quite believable.

However, there are some myths that _aren't_so unbelievable. Garlic, crucifixes, and holy water are quite repellent to us. Crucifixes and holy water aren't exactly dangerous, just... forsaking. They are things that wound us emotionally, rather than physically, because they remind us of the purity we lost, and the damnation we received. They remind us we can never enter heaven, if such a place even exists.

Garlic, on the other hand, is rather dangerous. We don't exactly know why, but contact, ingestion, or even mildly close perimeters with the stuff triggers an 'allergic' reaction, paralyzing and 'burning' us, for lack of a better explanation. Not a nice experience. There are certain syringes and pills, created by none other than the Volturi themselves, that act as anti-garlic remedies.

**(A/N: I **_**told**_** you some things would be different, at the end of chapter 4, if you are freaking out right now.)**

But, setting aside the lecture, the reason I was huddling under bushes and feeling so wound up was because of last night.

What if Bella thought me a stalkerish creep? And didn't come?

Or, what if she _did_come? What would I do? In my human life, relationships and even mild pleasantries exchanged with others of the opposite gender were observed with stifling formality.

In other words, I was scared. Yes, I admit it.

Suddenly, a loud noise shattered the otherwise silent landscape. If my eardrums hadn't been indestructible, they surely would have burst. I cried out and slapped my hands over my ears, standing up in shock. What had happened? I glanced around my yard, ignoring how the sun caused my skin to shine so blatantly.

And, you guessed it, eleven and a half miles away, Bella Swan had started her truck and started a CD, turning up the volume to deafening proportions. I clamped my hands tighter to my ears as the screams of a base guitar blasted across the sky.

"Good God, man!" Emmett exclaimed, bursting out the front door with his hands also clamped over his ears, "What is her problem?!" I kicked him.

He looked at me, shocked, but then realization came over his features. "Oh, yeah, sorry, bro. She's got good taste in music, at least, right?" He grinned sheepishly, pressing his hands over his ears tighter even than me, as the chorus of the song _Bloodlust_came screaming across the forest. Regular humans wouldn't hear it, unless they got within a quarter of a mile of the truck, but to us, it was as if she was right next to us.

_Stunning horror at my cold-bloodedness_

_Retreats the fear from my victim's face_

"What is she doing?!" Screamed Rosalie from upstairs, making Emmett and I wince. I heard her slamming down furniture and stomping down the stairs, snarling.

"You'd better go tame your wife!" I shouted at Emmett, just as Bella Swan turned onto the main road. I heard Alice inside, laughing hysterically for some unknown reason, and Jasper running into his study in an attempt to stifle the noise of the blasting guitars.

Carlisle and Esme, thankfully, had gone on an all-day shopping trip in Olympia, Esme wanting to pick up an antique vase she'd had imported in from India. I was glad they weren't here.

Soon, to everyone's relief, the music started fading away, as Bella and her very loud stereo system escaped over the horizon a few minutes later. I slowly lowered my hands from my ears. I heard Rosalie yelling at Emmett inside, complaining furiously that her eardrums were now permanently damaged.

I sighed, shaking my head, but feeling oddly amused. Bella _did_ have good taste in music, and seeing just a glimpse of her was _worth_ having my ears detonated, in my book. I wondered where Bella was going, on the sunny day that today was. Did this mean she wasn't going to come tonight?

"Go get her, tiger! There's a new Hot Topic in Port Angeles!" Alice laughed, pulling open a window on the second floor of the house and smiling down at me. The sun sparkled off her face. I looked up at her spiky head in confusion. Huh?

She laughed her tinkling laugh again, blocking her thoughts and withdrawing her head without giving me an answer. I growled in annoyance.

_Go get her?_ I wondered, completely mystified. And then the answer hit me. I grinned, if not from anxiety.

Tonight, I would be going to Port Angeles. Who knew? Alice's visions were rarely incorrect, and apparently she'd seen something worth my attention. Something about Bella.

I grinned, and shot off towards my black Volvo S60.

**Back to Bella's POV (About twenty-five minutes later)**

I was halfway to Port Angeles, driving down the wet roads of Washington, when I saw it.

A black Volvo, glinting in the sunlight about twenty meters behind me.

I gasped, stupidly turning around in my seat to get a better look at it thought the truck's dusty back window, completely looking away from the road in front of me. I swerved, ever so slightly, but took no notice of it.

And then, to my great annoyance, a bend in the road blocked off my sight from the black car, eclipsing it with a cliff face. When the road was once again clear, the Volvo was no longer there. I let out a shaky breath, and hurriedly turned my eyes back to the road, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

How strange.

I spent the rest of the drive convincing myself it had been nothing more than an illusion.

**Edward's POV**

I let out an unneeded breath.

That had been a close one. She wasn't _supposed_to see me, and I had almost blown my cover!

Thankfully, I had managed to pull over into a crook in the cliff face by the road, hiding me and my car from Bella Swan's line vision. I hoped she hadn't suspected me.

Waiting patiently until I heard the thrum of her truck fade farther away, I revved the Volvo's engine and pulled cautiously out from between the rocks, careful not to scrape the sides against the cliff face. I would have never forgiven myself for such a tragedy.

And thus set off again, pursuing Bella Swan in her excursion to Port Angeles at about 110 miles an hour.

**Bella's POV (Once she arrive in Port Angeles, I know, I know, it's going a bit fast, but do you really honestly want to read five pages of 'the manner in which they drove'?)**

Once I finally arrived in Port Angeles, it was high noon. The sun beat down on the quaint coastal town, giving it a cheerful air and a bright magnetism. Well, perhaps to the tourists gathered at the docks and window shops; I was only here for the Hot Topic.

People looked up at the noise my truck gave off, frowning in irritation that someone would dare drive such a monster in public. I sighed; even Rosalie's upgrades hadn't helped _that_ much.

I chose to park in an empty lot near the edge of town, away from the staring tourists and in the shadow of a large, gray warehouse with APOCOLYPTO'S DOCKING SUPPLIES COMING SOON TO YOU painted haphazardly on with peeling white paint. The insignia of a boat being chased by a net was printed on underneath.

I cut the engine, stowing the keys in my back pocket and hopping out of the truck with a sense of brewing excitement. I was practically bouncing up and down, something very uncommon from me.

Quickly, I jogged towards the heart of Port Angeles, marveling at how the shops seemed to thicken and the sun seemed to brighten. And for once, I didn't mind.

_I don't know the reason_

_But have to go on_

When I came to the town square, laden with smiling tourists dressed in shorts and t-shirts because they could, I spotted the large, bright red banner with a black GRAND OPENING printed blatantly on, hanging high above the throng of people, at the opposite end of the square. I quickly began to shove my way through the gathered people, ignoring the cries of annoyance, and even pain, as I forced my way through the crowd.

The sun beat down on my endeavor, causing me to sweat furiously, as I swatted away the pesky tourist-flies.

And, after about five minutes of pushing, shoving, kicking, and even biting, at one point, I burst from the river of people with an air of exhausted and sweaty triumph, right at the shiny, circular, double-door entrance of the new Hot Topic.

I almost squealed, but held myself in check; I did not like being the center of attention, ever. Instead, I demurely gave in to a dream-like state, drifting through the doors of the wonderful store as if in a trance, feeling as I if I weren't actually there.

The blast of crisp air conditioning hit my face as if in slow motion, the double-doors swinging slowly shut behind me. The sight of the interior of the store simply took my breath away. It was like heaven; had I died?

The red fluorescent lights glowed eerily, bathing the entire store in a blood-like beauty. Racks of dreamily vintage clothing, footwear, accessories, and headgear covered the walls and sat haphazardly throughout the store, just beckoning to be explored with my hands. Screaming rockster music screeched out of unseen speakers, so loud and distorted I couldn't make out which song, or even which group it belonged to.

I began to tremble.

I glided forward, for once not worrying that I would trip and fall, because I felt strangely aristocrated, dreamy, and light. I floated past a couple of female skater punks with wildly insane hairdos who were gathered around a rack of Tripp jean skirts, arguing about who_knows_ what.

The back of the store was completely t-shirts, skirts, and countless other articles of clothing. I forced my body to take a breath.

O.

M.

G.

Skelanimals, Stand Up!, Iron Fist, Tripp, Chor, Social Collision, Lip Service, Royal Bones, House of Pain, Social Distortion, Dethklok, Flogging Molly, and many other uncountable brand names I basically worshiped.

Pathetic, I know.

But, hey, we've all gotta live for something, and clothes is just what I needed.

And in that moment, my trance seemed to break. My eyes cleared up, and my ears suddenly absorbed _exactly_ what volume the music seemed to be playing at. I might have winced, but by then, I had let the bloodlust have me.

_I don't know the reason_

_But have to go on, I'm on bloodlust_

**Edward POV **

I was hiding in the shadow of a dark and shielded alleyway, located near the town square of Port Angeles. My black Volvo was parked discretionally a few miles away from Port Angeles, in a forested area that led easily to the main road, but was otherwise undetectable.

I hated how the sun trapped me, condemned me, and mocked me. Here I was, standing in the shadows, only a few feet from the bright, sunlit square, and yet at same time, a thousand miles away. I knew I was treading a mine field, for if I let my secret identity be known, everything Carlisle had built for us would be in danger of destruction.

But perhaps Bella Swan's pull on me muddled my common sense, for I now stared at her through the Hot Topic window, admiring how beautiful she looked, even from a distance. It still irritated me to no end that I could not read her mind.

For a few moments, I did nothing but watch her from the shadows, crouching behind a grimy green Waste Management bin that reeked of rotting fruit, and being still.

Bella Swan seemed... distant. I didn't know, but it was almost as if she were in a dream, floating unthinkingly through the shop, like she was in a trance. As I watched her, curiosity burning in the pit of my stomach, I noticed how unfocused her eyes were, and how lithe her step was. Odd.

She paused at a rack on the back wall, staring dreamily at the clothes. I continued to observe, guiltily, as if she were an animal in a zoo.

Suddenly, her body stiffened. I also froze, startled by the sudden change of state. I focused my eyes on her face, her beautiful face, and looked on as her eyes suddenly unclouded, and her cheeks paled ever so slightly. I blinked. She blinked.

And then all hell broke loose.

I stopped breathing as Bella Swan abruptly broke out of her trance and twitched like a feral animal. She turned wildly, her shiny brown hair whipping behind her, and started grabbing item after item of clothing off various shelves, an animalistic fury suddenly overtaking her.

I was appalled. And slightly impressed, as I watched her knock over a salesclerk with multiple face piercings, in order to grab a pair of Chor skinny jeans. My brothers told me that when I hunted, I resembles a lion, deadly feline and swift in my movements, but seeing Bella shopping really brought that into perspective.

I leaned forward to get a better view, chuckling ever so often as Bella pushed, punched, and kicked her way through the merchandise. Sometimes she even growled, or snarled, lashing out at innocent bystanders with her clothes-laden arms. Even I was a little bit scared. I made a mental note: Never cross Bella Swan while she is shopping.

Soon, however, her odd, preditorial behavior caught the attention of the manager, an overweight balding man in his thirties wearing a baggy t-shirt with I WISH MY LAWN WAS EMO, 'CAUSE THEN IT'D CUT ITSELF printed on. That made me laugh.

_What in the good name of God?_ He thought wildly as he stared at the beautiful brunette who, at this moment, was behaving like a rabid hyena, snapping at the merchandise like meat.

"Security, we need security in sector B2, stat." He muttered, panicked, into a walkie talkie at his belt, backing away from Bella, who had by now moved on to the shoes.

Ah, women and their shoes. Hurricanes, Converses, T.U.K.s, Vans, Demonia, Doc Martens, and lots of other, unnameable brands, (I'm of the _male_ population, remember?), went flying about the store, sometimes hitting unsuspecting shoppers, and sometimes knocking into shelves, causing complete disarray.

I watched anxiously as a buff security guard, one whose size reminded me of Emmett, came bounding out of a door labeled EMPLOYEES ONLY, and went dashing towards the corner of the store Bella was in. It took a lot of my restraint to keep myself from running into the sunlight to go help her. But I managed to keep myself in check.

What was wrong with me? Even _considering_ blowing my cover, just for a regular human girl.

But she _wasn't_ just any human girl, and I knew that.

The commotion in the store once again caught my attention. I very nearly snarled out loud as the man dove into the flurry of shoes and clothes that surrounded Bella, and then, after a violent and rather loud scuffle, dragged her out from under neath a shoe rack by the ankles, screaming and flailing like there was no tomorrow. By now, the whole store had gone silent, and one employee'd had enough sense to go turn the music off.

"Nooooo!" She screamed, clawing at the man as he dragged her closer to the entrance, the bloodlust of shopping overwhelming her. I grimaced; was this what a vampire looked like, when the scent of blood was caught? Wild and uncontrollable?

But Bella wasn't like that. I thought to myself bemusededly, watching soberly as the guard threw Bella out the door, unpaid-for-clothes and all. I silently chuckled.

Alice's visions_ did_ have their uses.

_My way of life has never been recognized_

_They never wanted me to be myself_

**Another chapter done! Sorry if I smothered you with all the gothic merchandise brands... but Hot Topic makes me go WILD!!! Sometimes I feel like kicking something, because there aren't any Hot Topic's in my immediate area. Sigh...**

**I've put some pics of Bella and Edward's Outfits on my profile, go check them out!**

**And don't you love that? I wish **_**my**_** lawn was emo, 'cause then it'd cut itself!**

**Next chapter will have some of Twilight's chapter 8, you know? Four guys in an alley, girl gets saved by handsome mystery guy... sound familiar?**

**It'll also have some Vampire Kisses in it; a dinner date at a mansion, ooh?**


	8. Redundant Reminder

This is not an update. I'll tell you right off the bat, there _will_ be one within a few days, but that's not what I'm trying to tell you.

OKAY! This may sound slightly redundant, but:

I.

Am.

Frickin'.

Fed.

Up.

With.

The.

Reviews.

Telling.

Me.

Off.

For.

Edward and Bella's band preferences!

I know! Good Charlotte, Aerosmith, etc. are not _technically_ gothic bands! I _do _understand that concept! I am in honors language arts!

They are _pop-punk_. I know. But I did not want creepily, over-the-top gothy Edward and Bella, 'cause then they'd be too 'mopey' for each other.

Do you want sassy, gothish Bella who loves Hot Topic, Halloween, and listens to Green Day, a band I hope you all recognize and hopefully appreciate, or a gothy goth Bella who listens to the album 'Sexy Death God' by Christian Death while smoking clover cigars and cutting her wrists? Honestly!

Thank you, to those of you who realize that gothic culture isn't all about the music and clothes, (although those do play a big part), and know that it's very much the mood, style, and individuality in which you place yourself.

Sorry. I just don't want any more of those reviews in my face. Please. Thank you.

Bite marks on neighboring carrots,

VeggieVamp

Sorry, again, if I've offended you, but I myself am also feeling a bit terse right now!


	9. The Apocolypse

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the bands/music/etc. mentioned.

Thank you all for the reviews! You've no idea how good they feel! Thanks to those of you who supported me on the 'band preference issue; I felt considerably warmer after reading those. You know who you are.

I am deciding to dedicate this chapter to brunette-in-black, Ladyflame13, FictionalFanGirl, twilightfreek, Rachelxvampirexlikesxblood, and Pink Dough because their reviews are the ones that especially motivate me to type faster. Thanks to everyone who reviews!

Warning: There is a teensy part of gory violence later in the chapter, if you're one of those people who don't like that. Nothing disgusting, just a little blood.

The song for this chapter is: _Into the Ocean_, by Blue October. That's one of my favorite songs, so go listen to it!

_**Bella's Point of View**_

_I'm just a normal boy_

_That sank when I fell overboard_

_My ship would leave the country_

_But I'd rather swim ashore_

Abruptly, I found myself bathed in sunlight, blinded, sprawled haphazardly on a hot sidewalk, my rear end hurting, and a surprising amount of clothing draped across my arms and scattered around me. People passing by gave me weird looks and made a point to avoid the scene I was causing.

I moaned. Oh, insert-bad-word-of-your-choice-here-and-repeat-it-three-times, I was such a moron! I really should learn to take better control of myself, but...

I loved Hot Topic.

Shaking myself, I hurriedly picked myself up off the ground, ignoring the shoppers still inside the wondrous store who were still staring at me through the glass. One guy, who had a blood-red, foot-tall mohawk and three eyebrow piercings, raised his fist in the 'love' way, middle and ring finger folded over, and pumped the gesture into the air. I returned it with one of my own.

Well, the shopping experience hadn't been one of my best, but at least I got some free clothes. I snickered as I quickly snatched up all the fallen merchandise, marveling at my new 'earnings'.

Some nice The Cure t-shirts, a pair of Demonia combats, still fresh in the box, a pair of black Tripp skinny jeans that had been ripped slightly at the thigh during my little 'shopping episode', three Chor skinny jeans, an attitude tee with BITE ME splashed across the front, a Skelanimals baby doll top, a studded choker, and a single red Converse Chuck Taylor. I supposed its mate was still somewhere in the store. Oh well.

My unpaid-for purchases in arms, I hopped up and pushed past the gaping tourists. I noticed a few of them were peeking into the store tentatively, perhaps hoping for a bargain of their own. They were pushed out again by the angry manager. I laughed, thoroughly in good spirits. I smiled as I realized I hadn't even needed my purse today. The weight of the invite tucked neatly within its black leather folds seemed to weigh ten pounds heavier.

With a bit of difficulty, I shifted the Tripp jeans onto my left arm so I could look at my wristwatch. Wow. 12:27. Barely half-an-hour in Port Angeles, and I'd already been kicked out of my first store.

Aimlessly, I began to wander. It was barely 12:30, and I still didn't feel like returning to my truck. Why not do a bit of window shopping? I tightened my hold on my clothes, dangling the lone Converse Chuck on my middle and index fingers.

I sauntered towards the small Port Angeles market; on the eastern side of town. Located there were various kiosks selling things from local newspapers to Vogue magazine, a smattering of gypsy tents, and tons of produce carts.

Contented, I made my way through the throng of shoppers, ignoring the cries of "Get yer pineapple here! Fresh pineapple!" and various other shouts coming from the toothy sellers, always getting in my face in a desperate attempt to get me to buy something. I shoved them aside.

The sun was still shining, albeit the irregularity. It threatened to burn my porcelain skin, and I inwardly cursed myself for not bringing any sun screen with me from Phoenix; I had figured I wouldn't have needed it. Back in Phoenix, sun screen had been a must. My skin never tanned, just burned. Badly.

And so, when I felt the familiar stinging sensation begin to creep up my cheeks, I cursed and quickly rushed into the entrance flap of a large, velvet gypsy tent, because it was the nearest thing to me.

_I want to swim away but don't know how_

_Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean_

Instantly, the air became stuffier, and my eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the sudden lack of light. It was almost pitch lack in the tent; the only light coming from a waxy old candle set on an ornate antique table in the middle of the tent. The temperature was positively wintry compared to outside. The boisterous noises of the shoppers outside dimmed to almost nothing.

I clutched my clothes like a security blanket. I discreetly slipped the studded choker into my left hand, for defensive purposes. You never knew with these old loons.

And what an old loon she was.

At first I hadn't seen her, the so-called gypsy, because of the darkness and my desire to escape the sun. But now, with my eyes adjusted to the smothering black, I could see her perfectly.

She was old, not really old, but maybe about sixty. Her skin was very pale, if not even paler than me. The bone-white folds of leathery skin drooped gently from the old gypsy's narrow face in small wrinkles. Her wiry hair was a light auburn near the hairline, but otherwise it was quite gray and pulled up into a tight bun. Her lips formed a small, tight line, barely visible against her alabaster pallid.

But it was her eyes that scared me. Like Edward Cullen's on that first day, they were all black. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but I couldn't even see the _whites_ of her eyes. Her entire eyes were black. I repressed a shudder.

She moved, but I remained frozen at the entrance to the stuffy velvet tent, watching her warily. She was kneeling at the table, across from me, and had had her hands folded on her lap. Now, she slowly raised them up and set them on the table, palms down, each hand on one side of the candle, opposite each other.

"How may I help you? Anything you need?" Her voice was like a whisper on the wind, soft and willowy, and strangely alluring. I felt the urge to draw closer. And at the same time, I felt utterly repelled. Her dark eyes were impassive. I composed my face so it, also, held no emotion. I gripped the choker.

"Nothing at I all," I croaked, my own voice barely above a whisper, "I was simply avoiding the sun." I told her truthfully, still uneasy. The cold tent made my bones rattle.

She was silent for a moment, before nodding. Her movements were stiff and stony, like a statue, or a robot. Or Edward Scissorhands. Her face was close enough.

"The sun is a terrible thing. It burns." She whispered mysteriously. I shivered.

"Um. Yeah." I murmured, beginning to edge slowly towards the tent entrance again. I didn't like this, not one bit.

"Beware." She hissed suddenly, making me start, ever so slightly. I inched to the entrance flap. "Beware. The apocalypse comes soon to you..." She seemed to gain a bit of color at the last part, her eyes flashing dangerously and her stone-like face contorting. I gulped, squeezing the choker so hard my hand was numb and my knuckles were white.

And then bolted, bursting out the flap like a bat out of hell, panting like a mad dog while sprinting haphazardly trough the sunny throng of shoppers. My eyes burned form the light, and my skin smarted at the swiftly changing temperatures it was enduring, but I didn't care. I didn't even notice how people were being knocked to the ground in my haste to escape. I ignored the angry cries that followed me all the way back to my truck, in the lone parking lot.

The bundle of clothes I had tucked into my right arm came loose as I fumbled with my key, desperately anxious to escape the dark eyes of the gypsy. The jeans, tees, and combats fell to the dirty asphalt like trash, momentarily forgotten. The lone Converse Chuck thudded to the ground not a few feet from me, the loose laces suddenly wavering in the air from a heavy gust of wind that suddenly picked up.

_Let the waves up take me down_

_Let the hurricane set in motion... yeah_

_Let the rain of what I feel right now...come down_

I now noticed the sun was no longer out. The studded collar choker fell from my numb hand and clattered to the ground.

A thick blanket of ominous clouds had abruptly enveloped it, blanketing the town of Port Angeles in a sinister shadow. Faint spots of wetness on my face could be felt, signifying drizzle and an oncoming rainstorm. I groaned.

Just my luck. This _was_ Washington, I supposed...

I stared at the sky, oddly calmed and completely oblivious to the swift picking up of the rain drops. They splattered onto my face, cold and wet, like nature's form of a bullet. Still, I ignored them.

Not too long after, or perhaps a long while after, the rain became more of a tsunami, soaking my clothes and causing my hair to drip into my back like a river. Only when a streak of lighting finally flashed across the sky, sending out a resounding crack that echoed off the very clouds themselves, did I break from my trance.

Wordlessly, I looked down at my watch, dully thankful it was waterproof. Streams of rain flowed down my arms as the gale and the storm picked up, blowing my wet hair around my face and chilling me to my very soul.

It was 1:20. I looked up at the sky again, where the clouds were angry and dark, reaching from skyline to skyline like a claustrophobic quilt. The streaming rain obscured my vision as the lightning's boom echoed off the sky.

I shivered numbly, and bent to pick up my sopping wet clothes. The jeans were gathered in a dripping pile, and before long, the soaking wet tees landed on top of them. I quickly dumped the dripping bundle into the passenger seat of my truck.

The boots and the single Chuck were stuffed underneath said seat, before I finally turned back to retrieve the choker.

When I found it, it sat, half-immersed in a swiftly gathering puddle. I scooped up the watery accessory before jogging back to my truck and onto my neck, where it would be safe for the time being.

I was standing in the rain, just outside my open truck door, about to climb in myself, when a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"What is sucha purta lady doin' out in storm, all by hersulf?" A deep tenor voice broke the tempest silence, coming from right behind me. I flinched away from the hand, whirling around to face my offender.

He looked about twenty; maybe more. He was tall and foreboding, quite muscular, but in an intimidating way. He had cropped brown hair and tattoos covering his bare arms. He was wearing nothing but old jeans and a leather vest.

His eyes were crossed, and I leaned away from him, perturbed, grasping the side of the truck for support. He reached out with his hand and grabbed my wrist in a stranglehold, preventing a quick escape. Lighting flashed above.

_Let the rain come down_

_Let the rain come down_

"Notta answerin', no?" He slurred, and to my horror I realized he was quite drunk. His breath reeked of alcohol. He swayed slightly as he stood before me. I gulped, frozen in shock.

"Hey!" He yelled drunkenly, turning away from me slightly, towards the opposite side of the lot. He tightened his fist around my wrist painfully. " Hey! Paulie! Raul! Joey! C'mere, I caught muhself a perty little bird, 'ere." He cackled, and I shrank into the side of my truck. I wasn't going to bother screaming; there was no one here to help me.

Three dark shapes detached themselves from the shadows of a nearby alley. They strolled towards us through the storm, seeming like ghosts the way their silhouettes contrasted to the falling rain.

I watched, silent with fear, as three men, similar to the first, albeit different hair tones and such, appeared and grimly surrounded the truck.

"Hey Quince," Said the one nearest to the man holding my wrist, "How cumma you get drunk witout us, an' ten you gets yasulf summa sugar, hmm?" I shuddered as he said 'sugar', smiling a yellow and cracked smile, missing the two front teeth. I figured _he_ wasn't drunk, just not very smart.

'Quince' shrugged awkwardly. His eyes strayed in different directions as he smiled drunkenly, and gestured crudely, "M' not suuure..." He slurred, "M' a lucky duck, I thinkin'..." He laughed throatily, and put his index finger of his free hand under my chin, forcing my head up and exposing my neck. I made a small noise of distress, and the four men guffawed cruelly, amused by the scene taking place.

They say that right before you die, your life flashes across your vision. You see your childhood, your memories...

Unfortunately, the only thing I was seeing right now was red. I finally broke out of my trance.

"Let go of me!" I burst out, my voice high with anger and fear. I wriggled violently in his grip, twisting away from his hands and yanking my wrist out of his fist. He stared drunkenly at me as I escaped. I rubbed my raw wrist as I stumbled away from him, at the irritated skin. The rain helped sooth the pain.

"Don't be like that, hun." I yelped as one of the other three men came up from behind me and grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around so I was facing him.

I gasped.

The entire left side of his face was scarred and deformed to the point of being considered a mutant. The angry red lines ran down his cheek and across his eye, causing him to squint cruelly. There were old scars and fresh marks, probably earned over the years from bar fights and street brawls. He had a studded eyebrow. He chortled.

"Let go of me or you'll have another scar to show off." I hissed at his distorted face. I noticed the other thugs were slowly converging on me, making sure of no escape.

"Oh, I doubt that, hun," He whispered in my ear, dangerous and menacing. I couldn't get out f this one's grasp, though I tried, thrashing and kicking out as hard as I could. "I think it'll be _you_ who'll have the scars." He bared his crooked teeth at me, causing me to whimper at his rancid breath.

Lightning crashed above, flashing light upon the heinous scene below.

Behind the gathered men, I saw the grey warehouse across the parking lot, illuminated in the gloom of the storm just momentarily. I froze in my actions of retaliation.

It seemed to read: APOCOLYPSE COMES SOON TO YOU, because the one hulk, Quince, was standing in the way of the other words.

The gypsy's warning.

"The apocolypse comes soon to you..." The wind and gale seemed to howl around me, whipping my drenched hair around my face.

I screamed, for only the sixth time in my life, the sound traveling across the very skies above and clashing with another flash of lightning booming above.

The men grinned, as if the sound wetted their appetites, and surrounded me.

Well, at least I knew one thing.

I wasn't going to make it to Edward's dinner date.

_Not knowing how to think_

_I scream aloud, begin to sink_

_My legs and arms are broken down_

**Edward POV (Don't worry, there won't be any rape.)**

After the little Hot Topic fiasco, I decided to escape to my Volvo, not wanting to push the risks of revealing myself any further. I had seen Bella Swan, and that was enough for today.

I'd sat in the driver's seat for about an hour, listening to Debussy, H.I.M., The Ramones, and Evanescence in an ever fluctuating cycle, until my mind was basically blank, save for the songs.

Rain began after a while, and I was tempted to go back home; but it wasn't often that I got a moment alone as peaceful as this one. Just resting in my car, listening to music while rain and thunder swallowed the sky. Perfect.

It was 1:26 PM, and I was listening to Evanescence's _Tourniquet_ for about the thirteenth time today, when I heard it.

A scream. It was loud and high, echoing off the very sky itself.

I jumped about a foot into the air, thankfully not denting the roof of my car, and turned off the stereo. Silence, besides the pounding rain outside.

Who would be out in this kind of weather? I made the mistake of glancing out the windshield, where a flash of lightning dazzled my light-sensitive eyes so I saw stars. Disoriented, I blinked furiously.

Another scream pierced the night, and I winced. The rain flowed down the windows of my Volvo, so I couldn't see out. Still, I knew something was wrong, very wrong indeed.

Doing nothing was a no-no, and I felt the great need to go see what was wrong.

But really, I was a vampire! I was _supposed_ to go _unnoticed_, and going 'playing hero' wasn't going to help that one bit.

I sighed, and decided that fighting with myself wasn't helping anyone, least of all me, and that I'd probably just go and do whatever I wanted, in the end.

And, knowing that, I swiftly opened my car door and escaped its leather seats, gently pushing the door shut as I got slammed with a gust of frigid wind and drenched with what seemed to be buckets of rain.

I sped through the forest at vampire speed towards Port Angeles, where the screams had been heard. The trees thinned out and I entered the threshold of the almost-empty city. It irked me how just a little bit of rain could drive away so many people.

Okay, maybe it wasn't just a _little_ rain.

_Let the rain of what I feel right now...come down_

_Let the rain come down_

_Let the rain come down_

I arrived at the docks with soaking wet clothes and my bronze hair flopping annoyingly in my eyes. Hurriedly, I ran towards the edge of the city, where I could hear some sort of scuffle and a lot of swearing.

Uncountable warehouses began becoming prominent; I was in the docking supplies storage part of town. The buildings were all the same, all gray and looming above my head, each with a company's insignia painted haphazardly on with peeling white paint.

Lightning once again crashed across the dark sky, just as I turned the corner into a parking lot.

I blanched.

Bella Swan's rusty red truck was parked in the corner of the lot, one door hanging open and allowing rain to drench the seats.

But that wasn't important.

What was important was the scene taking place.

Four grubby thugs surrounded Bella Swan, and according to their thoughts, had very determined intentions to... do things that no decent person would ever even want to _think_ about to her.

But Bella was being stubborn, as usual, and was resisting their attempts furiously. She held a studded collar choker in her right hand, and cast her eyes around feverishly for escape as he backed away from the brutes. Even in_ this_ position, she was beautiful.

I watched anxiously as one of the thugs stepped forward, one with a scarred face and a pierced eyebrow, and attempted to grab her arms. She twisted, and, snarling, lashed out with the sharp choker.

I cut my breath as the thing cut through his skin at his forehead, the small metal studs sharper than meets the eyes, and blood flecked the pavement. He howled with the wind and backed away furiously, glaring as blood ran into his eyes.

"I told you you'd have another scar to brag about, bastard!" She screeched at him. She didn't notice when a different one of the men came up behind her and grabbed he waist. She turned on him and tried kneeing him where it hurts most, but the man did nothing but wince and tighten his hold.

I knew that now was time for me to step in. At vampire speed, I zipped in front of the man holding onto Bella. To human eyes, it would seem like I had appeared out of thin air.

"Excuse me, gentleman, but I would advise you against such heinous acts." I said in a calm voice, the anger lurking just beneath. I had to contain myself, for Bella's sake. I didn't want to go full-on 'massacre-mode' with her in the middle of it. Her blood was too potent.

The whose scene seemed to freeze. The brutes seemed completely dumbfounded, perhaps too dumb to understand the complexity of my vocabulary, or perhaps just shocked at my entrance.

Bella's eyes were shocked, but there was something else there; hope, perhaps? I saw as he eyes strayed to the spider ring on my middle finger, an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Release her." I hissed at the man, still completely frozen. I knew my eyes were pitch black at this point. He gulped, even though he was bigger than me. Outside. Inside, I could have crushed his skull and flung his corpse a mile out into sea, if I wanted. But today, I didn't want to fight so much as I wanted to remove Bella from the situation. Why hadn't she gone home after Hot Topic?

"You heard me." I growled, very low, but still menacing. Bella's black-rimmed eyes seemed to flash with something, fear? Intuition? Excitement?

The men seemed to finally absorb all of the details of my appearance. They smirked. One of them retorted, "Oh yea? Watch gonna do 'bout it, pretty boy?" _Who duz 'e think he is, lit'l pile of..._ was what his mind was orbiting around.

I grimaced at his horrid grammar, a mockery of the English language, but replied in an icy tone, "That's something you'd rather not find out." Bella stared at me penetratingly, almost like she was searching for an answer. The man's grip on her had loosened slightly, but she hadn't noticed.

"I think I'll take m' chances, pretty boy." Sneered the one from before.

And pounced.

Quickly, I sidestepped him, letting him cry out in shock and pain as he tumbled to the wet ground, not a foot from where I was standing just seconds before. I heard his head hit the pavement; he was out cold.

_I'm treading for my life believe me_

_(How can I keep up this breathing)_

I smirked, and glanced at the other three. The scarred one who Bella'd gotten with the choker was moaning against a building, his hands pressed tightly to his forehead as blood blinded his vision. He started to stumble his way blindly back towards the alleyway, escaping.

The other two, however, looked positively stunned. I smiled blindingly, and Bella smirked as I approached the two.

_How the hell'd 'e do that?_ Was what both of them were thinking the lines of.

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out." I growled, my eyes narrowing dangerously, "Release the girl, or there will be more blood shed tonight." I hissed.

They looked at each other fearfully, the rain beating down on everyone's heads. The one holding Bella seemed to deflate, and let her go. Quickly, she sped to my side and far away from the crooks, childishly sticking her tongue out at them. Amazingly, I resisted the urge to chuckle. She quickly clasped her bloodstained choker to her neck. I cut my breath.

"W-we ain't got nuthin' to do with yer witchery," The one who hadn't been holding Bella said, his voice breaking, "G-go back to where you belong, d-demon." And he turned tail, running like the devil himself was on his heels, towards the alleys. The other followed suit soon after, grabbing his fallen counterpart by the scruff of his vest, and glancing back hatefully.

I sighed, and turned to Bella.

"Fancy seeing you here." She said softly, inquisitively. I blanched, realizing she was only about a foot away and very tempting. I stepped back, putting distance between myself and her blood. "I don't suppose you're going to give an explanation, huh?" She pursed her lips.

I said nothing. This was awful! Terrible! Blasphemy! I had let too much slip! Oh, dear God! Why was Bella Swan so goddamned observant? And why was I so goddamned stupid? And why wasn't she going into shock?! A normal human should be!

And yet I knew she wasn't normal.

Her eyes became guarded at my silence. I willed myself to melt into the rain, meanwhile planning furiously on ways to escape this god awful predicament.

Thunder clashed above, lightning illuminating her lovely face, which was now a mask of suspicion. I was sure mine was nothing short of impassive.

"What are you doing here?" She finally asked. I blinked. Well _that_ wasn't the question I was sure she was going to ask. I suppose I shouldn't have been so shocked; Bella Swan was full of surprises.

Ones I _longed_ to uncover.

"Shopping." I said quietly, quickly thinking of a feasible excuse. "I was just going to leave town when your screams alerted me to your predicament." I fibbed easily, hoping she wouldn't see through me.

"Ah." She said, but, amazingly, she still seemed skeptical. But she said no more, once again probing into me with her soulful brown eyes, like she could see my very soul.

Or, lack there of.

I hurriedly changed the subject, intimidated by the unfathomable depth her gaze held. "So... what are you doing here? And standing in the middle of the rain?"

She darkened with a blush. I held my breath, still hungry for blood after the _enlightening_ encounter with the four thugs. "I could ask you the same question," She murmured, and I winced, inwardly slapping myself for my lack of caution. But it was so _easy_ to be myself with her... She continued, "But if you must know, I was also shopping." She smiled grimly, and I couldn't hold back my own grin, remembering the little fiasco from earlier.

"Ah." I mimicked her tone from before, looking away ind into the rain.

She huffed, and I inwardly snickered at her spunk.

She sighed. "I suppose I should thank you." Her voice held a note of petulance, but sincerity nonetheless. I nodded wordlessly in acknowledgment. I mustn't get any deeper, no deeper.

_No deeper, no deeper, no deeper_. I repeated in my head like a mantra, willing myself to turn away from my selfish desires.

"Was it you who gave me the invite?" She suddenly asked, her eyes shining with something like disbelief. I myself also felt disbelief. Did she not know how coveted she was, not only by me, but by much of the young male population of Forks? Many would got to many a height to invite _her_ to dinner.

"Perhaps." I said cryptically, although the answer was obvious enough. She nodded slowly. Moments of silence passed, save for the pitter-patter of the rain on the ground.

"Why?" She finally asked, glancing up at me, her voice soft and curious. I resisted the urge to tell her, to tell her the truth.

Gee, I wonder how that conversation would go?

Well, Bella, my entire family and I are a bunch of bloodthirsty vampires, currently living off animal blood while peacefully co-existing with_your_ species. Oh, and did I mention that I think I'm falling in love with you, despite the fact we've hardly ever exchanged words beyond pleasantries or insults?

Yeah. Smooth.

I shrugged in response t her question, stubbornly peering out into the rain beyond, not making eye contact with her. This was not good. Perhaps I should just make a run for it? Or end it all here?

No. Bad idea, very bad idea...

"Well, either way," She muttered, letting her wet hair drop into a curtain to hide her face, "Thanks." She whispered. I felt the hypothetical stirrings of my long dead heart.

And turned away from me, making her way towards her truck, still open and quite wet.

I could not. No deeper, no deeper...

I tried to convince myself, and failed miserably. I knew I never should have left Bella that invite, but then where would I be? Groveling at her feet, in the end, anyways. If I was going to hell, why not do not thoroughly?

With a heavy heart, I called out, "Bella?"

She turned, surprised, letting her hair whip out from behind her and splatter against her truck.

"Will I see you tonight?" I asked softly, feeling like a stupid dolt. What would I do about my family? They didn't know I had left Bella the invite...

And yet if felt right, asking her to come over. I knew I would be righting my twisted inner self, just by learning more about the beautiful, mysterious, and utterly heinous young woman known to all as Bella Swan.

I hated myself. Perhaps I hated her even more.

"Yes." She said with a smile that melted my innards. Or maybe I loved her.

Okay. Not good.

Or maybe not.

The rain pounded onto the black asphalt long after Bella Swan pulled out of the parking lot.

And I stood there long after the rain ended.

_I'm reaching for the life within me_

_How can one man stop his ending_

_I thought of just your face_

**Oh, God, I'm SO sorry it took so long! I was really busy with school, but I won't give you my sob story. I hope the extra length of the chapter made that up a bit.**

**Next chap is the date; sorry it's going a bit slow.**

**REVIEW! No flames, and NO criticism of band preference.**

**Bite marks on neighboring carrots, **

**VeggieVamp**


	10. Dooms Date

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the music/bands/etc. mentioned.

**Sorry I took a long time... **

**Here's the chapter you've been waiting for; Bella starts realizing that maybe it's Edward's **_**company**_** she really craves, and that she wants to know more about who he is, as opposed to what she **_**wants**_** him to be, and who she hopes he and his family are.**

**And Edward starts to realize that maybe falling in love is worth making some sacrifices.**

**Onward! The song for this chapter is**_ Breaking the Habit _**by Linkin Park. Special request from slytherinchick13. Not the song, the group. :-)**

**The DATE will be in two parts. Here's part one. It's not as exciting as Part Two will be, and it's slightly filler, but it is crucial to the plot nonetheless.**

_**Bella's Point Of View**_

_I tightly lock the door_

_I try to catch my breath again_

The moment I passed the city limits of Port Angeles, I completely broke down. My breath came in gasps, and my hands shook so much I was afraid I was going to swerve off the wet road.

But I persevered, trying desperately to focus on the road before me rather that my... delightful encounter back at the lot.

And, God, did Edward Cullen just seem to pop up out of the ground at the most unexpected times? I knew he hadn't actually been shopping, as he claimed. Had he perhaps been following me? I shivered, thinking about all the threats he had made to those goons, and how real they had seemed. Did he really mean them? Or was he just vying to get me out of there?

Perhaps the most mystifying thing I had seen was the fact that he had been wearing that spider ring.

The interior of my truck was completely soaked, not helping my shaking at all, and was seeping into the seat of my pants uncomfortably. I squirmed, my teeth chattering furiously. At this point, I was rather shocked I wasn't, well... going into shock. I supposed I'd always been good at repressing bad things.

I wished my truck would go faster, but nope. 55 miles at the max, unfortunately, as always. And I had a date to look forward to! I wanted to look especially good, to impress Edward. Maybe some fishnets and a minidress... hmm...

Wait, hold that thought.

Did I just say I wanted to impress him? No, no! I wasn't going there to have fun and get cozy! I was going there to learn his true identity, and hopefully become a vampire!

Desperately, I tried to convince myself, but then I once again I found myself thinking about his velvet voice, his topaz, and sometimes black, eyes, and his sense of style! God, there are very, _very_ few men out there in the world who would know how to dress in a way that could make _me_ want to swoon.

Not to mention, his mystique, and his eerie way of talking like he had just been ripped from the 1910s. He was just like the actor out of the horror film of my dreams.

_However_, I thought to myself with forced conviction, _if he's a vampire, that overrules everything_.

And yet I couldn't get the little nagging part of my brain to shut up.

By now, by breathing had returned to almost normal, and my hands didn't look like pale massage chairs. They still trembled a little though, ever so slightly.

The seats were still wet, and my skinny jeans were almost completely soaked on the bottom. I shivered from cold, and slowly reached over to turn on the truck's heating system.

Outside, the rain was beginning to thin. I scowled as a wave of warm air blasted into my cold face, thinking ruefully about how _now_ the rain decides to let up. I noted it was about two thirty. Had that much time already passed? I sighed.

When it came to the point where I was about fifteen minutes from Forks, I decided some music was in order. I one-handedly rifled through my meager CD store in the glove compartment, randomly drawing out a plastic CD case. It was the Meteora album from Linkin Park. I grinned madly, fumbling to open it without taking my eyes off the road and shoving the disc into the truck's substandard CD slot. I pressed play, and skipped to my favorite song on the album, Breaking the Habit.

_Memories consume_

_Like opening the wound_

_I'm picking me apart again_

_You all assume_

I sang along happily, belting out the lyrics in my infamous-for-shattering-glass voice, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel along with the beat. The wetness of the seats was almost forgotten as I danced in a way that didn't endanger my life from swerving off the road.

I passed Newton's Outfitters, a shabby old building that stocked every sort of camping, backpacking, climbing, and hiking supply practically ever made. It was, of course, owned my Soccer Snob's parents, who forced him to work there. I laughed at the thought.

And, to my great pleasure, he was there on the porch, scowling his pretty boy scowl and sweeping dirt off the welcome mat with a ratty old broom. I rolled down my window when I was close enough and pulled into the parking lot, with no intention _of_ parking, but I wanted to drop by.

"How's your so-called life, Snob?" I called as I slowly passed by him. He looked up, shocked, and then saw me. He paled, and frowned, glaring. I grinned wickedly, deciding to play with him.

I took on an innocent look, before saying, "Gee, I didn't know you worked here. How's the pay?" I knew full well, after what Charlie told me of them, that Mr. And Mrs. Newton held high standards for work and didn't feel the need to pay someone in the family for working there.

His face darkened into a murderous look, a vein throbbing in his blonde head. He looked like he was about to blow, but instead, with a controlled voice, said, "Go to hell, Monster Girl." Then he gave a look of mock intuition, raising his index finger in the oh-I-just-realized way, "Oh, I forgot. You're already there!" He sneered, and I decided to mimic him, contorting my face into that freakishly snobbish way.

"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes and rolled my window up, accelerating and making sure to drive into a muddy puddle, which then splashed right onto Snob's shorts, shoes, and socks, soaking them worse than me. He shrieked, and jumped about a mile, dropping his broom and hissing at me,

"You'll pay for that, Monster Girl, I'll get you!" In his whiny, snobby voice.

But by then, I had already pulled out of the lot, laughing my head off insanely as I turned onto the main road. Yeah, perhaps was cruel, but when life gives you Snobs, it's just too hard to resist not making a puree in the blender!

**Edward POV**

I had just returned home. My clothes were still in the process of drying, and my Volvo was splattered with mud. I grimaced as I cut the ignition and carefully stepped out into the driveway.

Almost instantly, I was bombarded with the many thoughts of my family, all anxious, curious, and even enraged, in Rosalie's case.

_Where were you, Edward? _Esme thought,_ I was worried sick! And why are you all wet...? _I silently shook my head as I jogged to the front door, uncomfortably aware of how everyone was staring down at me from the second story window.

_Edward, this is serious business, please, _please_ tell me you didn't go out and meet her... It _is_ about that girl, isn't it...? _Carlisle inquired. I could hear him pacing upstairs, making escape plans to Alaska. I frowned.

_Man, Edward, you reek of water and... and human! You know that's not safe! I'm still not in complete control... _Jasper, of course, was more concerned about slipping up than he was of the actual situation, but I could hear, in the very back of his mind, just how much he sometimes craved to cheat. My frown deepened as I shuffled inside, wary of my family.

_Edward! You imbecile! I thought you had gone hunting, you great, effing ASS! Sneaking off to... to meet with that little, creeping (beep)_... I winced as Rosalie let on the verbal abuse. Rosalie didn't usually act this way, although she was always extremely tenacious, and I worried if perhaps there was more to this than just jealously.

Only Alice, and perhaps Emmett, had anything good to think, I'm afraid...

_Dude! Way to be forward! What happened, anyway...?_

_Oh, Edward! Ignore the others, this is wonderful... I wonder if she'll like shopping..._

"Enough." I finally called out, irritated by the voices. Immediately, they diminished, but instead my family appeared in front of me, expressions of impassiveness to anger to happiness ranging on their faces. Wordlessly, I ignored them, avoiding their eyes and shuffled to the couch, where I flopped down in my wet clothes and sighed.

Carlisle spoke first, "Edward, kindly explain to us where you where, why, and please tell me the truth as to why I can smell human on you." I glanced up at my gathered family from under my lashes, a frown set into my face. This was not going to be pleasant... and then I still had to find out how to get rid of them for my date... if they allowed it.

With as much dignity as I could muster, I raised my head and allowed my damp hair to flop into my eyes. I knew there would be no point in lying, as Jasper was an empath, but I did not want to tell the complete truth.

In a very convincing tone, I replied casually, "I was in Port Angeles. Bella Swan just happened to be there as well. I assumed it would be rude not to say hello. Happy?" I rolled my eyes, a skill of mine that could impress the queen of England.

Jasper rose an eyebrow, sensing my unease, but made no comment, deciding he would rather not get involved in anything relating to a human.

"Were you caught in the rain?" Asked Esme, her eyebrows furrowing as she observed my damp Tripps and drying Linkin Park zip-up hoodie. I nodded, relief flowing through me as I could at last tell _some_ of the complete truth.

Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie were deciding not to take part in he discussion, I noticed. Alice was smiling slightly, but like her husband, had no desire at all to become involved in the current argument. Emmett was anxiously wrapping his arm round a very irate Rosalie, desperate not to get on her bad side when she was in such a monstrous mood.

"Alright then," Carlisle said cautiously, "You didn't do anything that might have caused her to become suspicious?"

"No." I frowned, suddenly remembering how I'd threatened those thugs. I had made it sound like I could actually beat them, or worse. Which of course, I _could_ have, but that wouldn't have seemed too human, now would it?

And those looks Bella Swan had been giving me. Like she could tell there was something wrong about me...

Mentally, I shook myself. Carlisle seemed relieved, and the others began to disperse, no longer interested in the situation as long as it held no danger to the family.

Oh, how very wrong they were. But I said nothing.

Finally, it was only Alice left. She stood, like a statue, in front of the couch, looking down at me. I looked up at her.

"What?" I asked irately, finally tired of her staring at me. Her thoughts were vague, swirling mystifyingly around things like 'windows' and 'Hors D'oeuvres'.

_I will vacate the house for tonight... _Alice thought to me suddenly, breaking out of her little reverie. _But be sure to watch the windows..._

And then she disappeared upstairs.

_I don't know why I instigate_

_And say what I don't mean_

_I don't know how I got this way_

----------------------------------------------------------

**About four hours and forty minutes later...**

**Bella POV**

It was 7: 10 PM, and I still didn't know what to wear.

Dammit!

My room was a mess. Charlie had locked himself in his room, not wanting to get in my way. And I was just about ready to pull all of my hair out.

Feverishly, I sorted through my clothes; skirts, shirts, dresses, jeans, jewelry... none of it seemed right! GAH! I could hear the dryer thumping in the laundry room, drying out my 'purchases' from earlier today.

I sat angrily on the edge of my bed, sighing and wishing I had more of a wardrobe. But when you live in a town as small as Forks, you won't be able to get much.

Rather despondently, I heaved myself up from the bed and shuffled to the bathroom, reasoning to myself that if I couldn't have a good outfit, I could at lease have decent makeup.

I ran my hairbrush through my hair until it was silky and shiny, completely tangle-free.

Slowly, I applied the necessary black eyeliner, eyeshadow, and makeup, before sitting on the toilet seat lid and repainting my nails with black to perfection. When they were done drying, they gleamed to perfection. I admired my work passively, before getting up and walking back to my room.

I almost gasped, freezing in the doorframe.

On my bed, where I had sat not ten minutes ago, lay a very beautiful and extremely expensive-looking minidress that looked like it ended mid-thigh. The fabric was burgundy velvet, accentuated with lace trim on the skirt, and black lace with thin, elegant white ribbons criss-crossing on the front.

On top lay a simple white note card. Tentatively, I crept forward towards the gorgeous gothic dress, and suddenly lashed out and snatched the card, perhaps paranoid it would disappear.

It read in small but elegant script:

_Dear Bella Swan,_

_I have seen that you are different._

_And not in a way you would expect._

_Wear this, and make him drool._

_Toodles!_

Well, that was weird. Was I the only one who had no idea what was going on? Maybe.

I looked down at the dress, setting the mystery note back down on the bed. I carefully reached out and stoked the fabric; it was real velvet, not the cheap Halloween costume kind. It must have been very expensive.

And better, I could actually imagine myself in it. It wasn't slutty, but it wasn't conservative, either. It showed off just the right amount of leg, but nothing more than would be needed. I began to think about how good it would look with some nice fishnets and some knee-high combats.

Oh, yeah.

But who gave it to me? Who, besides Edward Cullen and I, would know about the date? Not Charlie, I definitely didn't tell him. Would Edward have told his family? Would his _family_ be in the house?

For some reason, I didn't like the idea of sharing Edward's company. As I gazed down at the dress, I felt an unfamiliar wave of... jealousy?

No, no that can't be right. He good looking! So what? Of _course _I would want to have him to myself! Especially if he's a vampire.

With a newfound conviction, I swept the dress up into my arms and jumped into the closet.

I stripped down while looking for a fresh pair of fishnets. I found a pair in good quality, and slipped them up my bare legs as I furiously thrashed out of my Nightmare Before Christmas tee.

When the dress, too, was on me, I turned around and posed for the mirror, winking scandalously and twirling. Then I wobbled over and fell onto my butt, laughing my head off. Such idiocy.

I picked myself up again, admiring how the dress hugged me in all the right places. The burgundy velvet contrasted with my porcelain skin, giving me an eerie appearance. The slightly ruffled skirt framed my legs nicely.

And thus, I went in search of boots. Because I had a whole new outfit, a lot more windows of opportunity were opened. I tried on a few combats that I had before rejected, before finally settling on some black knee-high, high heeled Pleasers that Renee had gotten for me last Halloween. Normally, I wouldn't have worn heels, but this time was an exception.

I felt a lot better; more confident, to my vast surprise. Normally, I liked to be a wall flower. A black-clad one. But now, I surprised myself by wanting to be in the limelight. For once, I actually felt worthy. Wow, whoever gave me the dress must either be a psychic, a miracle worker, or both.

My clock told me it was now about 7:50, and I was more than ready. To the family of vampires, we go!

I clipped a bat necklace onto my neck before skipping loudly, due to my heavy boots, down the steps and to the front door. Just before I ran out into the night, I yelled to Charlie,

"Bye! I'm going! See ya later!" I hope, I added at the end with a grin. I heard Charlie tentatively open his door and shuffle out.

"Would you mind actually telling me where you're going? I never caught that." He muttered loudly as he clunked downstairs.

"Out." I said cheerfully.

And then he saw what I was wearing.

His eyes bugged out of his head, and he turned an amusing shade of red. "Bella," He sputtered as I smiled, "Where _are_ you going?! And dressed like _that_?!" He sat down in a chair, and glared. Obviously, he was accusing me of sneaking off to a rave or some party with a secret boyfriend. Inwardly, I scoffed. As if! But then I wondered what it would be like to have Edward Cullen, a possible vamp, as a boyfriend...

"To the movies. With Angela, and her boyfriend, Ben." I lied guiltily. I didn't like lying to Charlie, but if I told him the truth, it would probably result on an aneurysm on his part.

Because he believed those rumors. I didn't know if I did. In the back of my mind, I knew I was torn between wanting them to be true, or being the logical person I _usually_ was.

"Angela Weber? And Ben Cheney?" He asked, letting out a sigh of relief and swallowing my fib easily. "Okay then, they're good kids. Be back before ten, please. And don't make any side trips."

He warned, his face returning to its usual shade.

"Of course." I said casually, before slipping out into the night and my truck.

Happily, I hopped into the cold interior, finally dry since the incident earlier. The night was dark, clear, and full of stars. It was breathtaking. I began to whistle the chorus of Breaking the Habit as I started the truck, ignoring how the noise disturbed the quiet night.

_I'll never be alright_

_So, I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit_

_Tonight_

This time, I knew where I was going. After the uneventful twenty-minute drive on the main road, I turned off onto the discreet Cullen driveway, sure to turn right and _keep going _this time.

Rosalie's modifications worked wonders when it came to crossing terrain. Much more easily than last time, I trundled across the winding driveway without any incident, before I finally came to a stop in front of the magnificent Berkshire mansion, the stunning white exterior contrasting splendidly with the black of night.

Swiftly, I opened the truck's door, gathered up my skirt so it wouldn't go wild in the wind, and hopped out onto the cold ground. I noticed that all of the lights on the first floor of the mansion were on, but none of the lights on the second or third floors shone out through the windows.

Eagerly, I practically ran up the creaky porch steps in my precarious boots, clunking noisily on the porch as I approached the front door, leaning forward to firmly press the doorbell. It's resounding chime ran through the house, loud and attention-grabbing as last time.

My heart seemed to do double-time as I softly bounced on the balls of my feet, clasping my hands behind my back in nervousness. I wondered passively how this would go.

And then a soft, methodical sound reached my ears.

Footsteps. I held my breath. _Vampires, vampires, vampires_, I repeated in my head like a stubborn mantra, _Vampires, vampires, Edward... _I winced, inwardly slapping myself for trying to appreciate the treasure chest, pretty as it was, as opposed to the goods inside.

The doorknob turned, slowly as a snail, but surely. I seemed to stare a hole into the door, a cold sweat breaking out . A slight breeze ruffled my skirt around my legs. I shivered.

And then the door was softly pulled open, tentatively and slowly. Was he scared?

I smiled slightly as the door was pulled open all the way, bathing the porch in light.

_So, I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit_

_Tonight_

**I know, I know, not the best of chapters, but the next one will be more worth it.**

**Keep in mind these two facts; they will be important to the rest of the story.**

**1. Remember when Mike called out, "You'll pay for that, Monster Girl, I'll get you!"? Good.**

**2. Remember when Alice told Edward to watch the windows? Good.**

**Okay, for the poll, most people would say they honestly don't care how ugly or hot the chosen actors are, but that they are anticipating the upcoming Twilight movie. Good for you, guys! There's a new poll, check it out!**

**Is anyone interested in betareading? Maybe? PM me and please explain it to me. I just got the 'beta' ability, so...**

**REVIEW! Please, they motivate me to type faster. They really do. **

**Pics of outfits on profile.**


	11. Batty Revelations

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the music/bands/labels, etc. mentioned. 'Nuff said.

**Sorry for the slight delay folks, 'ehem... I absolutely LOVE you guys for the reviews!**

**I just want you to know I spent LOTS of time on this chapter; I have good reason it's my favorite one so far... emotionally and ideally. It may not seem like much in the beginning, but near the end I was practically trembling as I typed.**

**The date! Like you've been waiting for! The song of this chapter is**_**Good Enough **_**by Evanescence.**

_**Bella's Point Of View**_

_Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly._

_Now I can't let go of this dream._

_I can't breathe but I feel..._

He was wearing a black, silk, long-sleeved, button-down shirt and sexy black slacks. His bronze hair was disheveled as usual, with the faint evidence of an (unsuccessful) attempt to tame it with some gel. But that made it all the more alluring.

"Um. Hello. Glad you could make it. You look lovely tonight." He murmured, his head tilted forward, just slightly, towards the ground, and his golden eyes glancing shyly up at me through his lashes. His hands were clasped behind his back, so I couldn't see if he still had that spider ring on his hand.

I was frozen. Stunned. Breathless. My heart seemed like it would burst. The muscles in my mouth seemed to stop working. I was far too busy staring at the God-like creature before me, with his silk shirt and all. If only he had fangs to match... sigh...

At last, I found my voice, and murmured just as shyly, "Hi. Thanks... for inviting me..." I smiled sheepishly, and he chuckled, a soft, mesmerizing sound. I felt myself melt inside.

He slowly brought his left arm around in front of him, his fingers clasped nervously around a bouquet of differently colored roses. I stifled the urge to gasp; the spider ring was till on his finger, just like the last time I'd seen him.

And the roses, oh, the roses! No regular guy in this century would dare give a girl, much less a girl like me, roses on the first date. They were lovely, seemingly fresh.

I silently took the flowers, smiling timidly, and brushing his fingers ever so slightly. They were ice-cold, and before I registered what happened, an electric shock seemed to spark between the infinitesimal contact, causing me inhale sharply and him to quickly withdraw his hand. Whoa.

"Thank you, they're beautiful." I exhaled slightly, before admitting, "No one has ever given me flowers before."

He seemed grateful for a second, before becoming curious, and slightly disbelieving, "Never before? I'm sure you must have had tons of boyfriends who've given you flowers." I blushed slightly, before shaking my head.

"I've never had a boyfriend." I told him truthfully, rubbing one of the roses's velvety petals between my thumb and index finger.

"Oh. Um, would... would you like to come in?" He asked, smiling crookedly and stepping aside, extending his arm, gesturing to enter. Wow, he was normally not so tongue-tied. Must be the situation.

"Please." I smiled, stepping past him and clutching the roses. When I was past the threshold of Berkshire mansion, I spun around to face him. He pushed the door shut.

"Dinner's ready." He grinned, and I felt my heart flutter. Did he make dinner? Did vampires eat human food?

"Did you make it?" I asked him curiously as he led me into a beige hallway filled with framed black and white photos. After tasting some of Charlie's creations, I wasn't sure I was ready to trust just_any_male with culinary skills. He nodded nervously.

I laughed. "That's good. My father, Charlie, sometimes makes things that question the morality of food itself." I giggled, remembering the time Charlie had tried making some steak on the grill, and then ended up accidentally marinating it with a bottle of my fingernail polish remover instead of the mesquite lime stuff. The whole grill had gone up in flames. Thankfully, he hadn't made me eat it, afterwards.

Edward laughed as well. "Well, I should hope that my cooking standards don't leave such an impression on you."

"I should hope not." I smiled, already having a good time talking. Edward led me into a spacious room painted a light sage color. A long, mahogany table sat in the middle, with matching chairs encircling it all around. An empty glass vase sat at the center, with a doily under it. It was half full of water, and Edward nodded when I glanced at him. I stepped forward, cautious not to trip, and carefully pushed the roses into the vase. It was beautiful.

"I'll get the food, do you want something to drink?" Edward asked, walking gracefully towards another hallway on the opposite side of the room.

"I'll take anything." I said, marveling at the spacious room. Wait, wait, anything? As in, _anything_? Not the best of things when you're over at a possible-vamp's house, so I hurriedly corrected myself, "Um, actually I'll have water."

"Sure. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back." And then he disappeared.

Leisurely, I looked around the elegant dining room. There were paintings of far off landscapes, and the ocean. God, this house was full of pictures and paintings. There was even a crystal chandelier, hanging high above the table from the even higher ceiling. Strangely enough, I felt quite comfortable here.

I looked back at the table, finally noticing how a full set of matching dining utensils; plates, forks, glasses, etc., was arranged at either end of the table. Quickly, I scurried over to the nearer end and pulled the fancy chair out, making it squeak. I slowly settled myself onto the green velvet cushion, scootching the chair closer to the table and immediately tugging the embroidered cloth napkin out from under the assorted silverware. I smoothed it neatly onto my lap.

"Hello." I glanced up at the sound of the honey-covered voice. Edward. He held two bowls, one in either hand, in a way that would rival a professional maitre' D at a fancy restaurant in Paris. Two crystal goblets were simultaneously tucked expertly between his fingers. He swiftly glided over to me, as if the bowls weighed nothing at all, and set one of them down in front of me, along with the glass of water. I felt the steam of the dish rise up into my face, but right now I was too busy staring into his butterscotch eyes, not a foot from me.

Regretfully, he stepped back and made his way to the opposite end of the table. I shook myself to clear my jumbled thoughts. Christ, what did this boy do to me?

I watched as he set down his bowl and goblet down gently on the table, before sitting down himself.

"I hope you're hungry." He said as he gingerly picked up his spoon, almost as if he had absolutely no idea of what to do with it. I saw him glance up at me around the roses.

"I can't imagine a moment when I'm not." I quipped flirtatiously. I couldn't help it. I still hadn't looked to see what was actually on my plate, because the dimmed lights of the room set a very romantic setting, almost making his bright gold eyes smolder. I picked up my spoon. "What about you?"

He flashed a strange smile, before saying mysteriously, "Occasionally. But always thirsty."

Oh, right. You know, this was starting to become kind of ironic. Unless he wasn't joking.

_Drink up sweet decadence._

_I can't say no to you,_

_And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind._

_I can't say no to you._

Finally, I pulled myself away from his gaze and peered down into my meal. It was a buttery, yellow soup thing, garnished with chopped chives, minced dill, and a piece of cilantro floating in the middle. It looked good, and yet I continued to stare.

I supposed Edward noticed my stare, and said, "Oh, um, it's Belgian. Cream of Belgian endive soup." Ah, soup. Leave it to Edward Cullen to make a kind of soup I'd never heard of, from a country I'd _barely_ heard of. But of course, if it were any other guy, for example, Snob, it probably would have been take out at "I'm hatin' it" McDonalds. **(A/N: Sorry, if you like McD's. Oh, and also sorry if you work at McD's and you are for some reason reading this. Aren't you supposed to be frying up your wads of grease?)**

Well, now that I at least knew what it was, I carefully dipped my spoon into the creamy substance, and slowly brought it into my mouth. I noticed Edward watching me the whole time.

All I can say is; WOW. It was a bit hot at first, but I quickly overlooked that. The Belgian soup was delightfully creamy, buttery, and smooth. There were the faintest murmurings of potato, garlic, and onion. There was a bit of pepper floating around, and that added to the great flavor. I quickly downed another spoonful, and then another.

Great God, what were those Belgians doing up there? I want to grow up to be a Belgian.

"I take it you like it?" Edward's voice seemed far away, and a bit smug. Wordlessly I nodded, swallowing another spoonful of the wonderful, creamy concoction. I wiped my mouth with the napkin, before looking up at him appraisingly.

I noticed he had not yet touched his soup. Had I really been eating that fast? Or was he waiting for me to finish? Or... something else?

"This is excellent!" I exclaimed happily, sipping another spoonful, "I think you have actually changed the way I look at Belgium and it's soups. Aren't you going to have some?" I tacked on slyly at the end. But I _had_ meant the rest of my banter; goodness, this boy could cook!

"I like to watch you eat." He suddenly said, blinking, "I'm not so hungry, as I said before."

Okay. He liked to watch me eat. That's something new. But...

"Well, you don't know what you're missing, Bat Boy." I happily made up a nickname for him as I pushed the remnants of the soup around my almost-empty bowl. He quirked an eyebrow, smirking.

"Bat Boy? I wouldn't be so sure of yourself, Bat Girl." And then, quite abruptly, he pushed away from his seat and gracefully rose from his chair. My eyes followed him curiously as he quickly strolled to the seat next to mine. His eyes apologetically found mine as he seated himself anew.

"I'm sorry, it's just," He laughed nervously, "I can't see your face through the roses, and I'll admit you are far more lovely."

I blushed. I noticed his pallid cheeks also seemed slightly less chalky. Wow. No one on earth knew how to solicit like Edward.

"No problem. I _was_ wondering why you had such a long table..." I grinned, relaxing. Edward always made me feel somehow relaxed.

"My family always eats together," he told me, before turning on his heart-stopping-and-completely-unconscious-on-his-part charm, "So, what made you come here? I'm sure Phoenix must have been far more... sunny." He asked me, a sudden wistfulness seeming to cloud his eyes as he mentioned the sun.

I contemplated answering, before finally admitting, "My mother got remarried last spring. She was unhappy." I quickly continued when I saw his mystified expression, "She was torn between her new guy and me. So, I decided to give her space and come to the 'Wonderful World of Forks.'" I said sarcastically. He chuckled, and then his face became sympathetic.

"I know how it feels to be torn." His face darkened slightly, before coming to life once more, "What about your favorite color?" He changed the subject. I supposed _that_ story would be for another day. Wait, were we already confessing our life stories to one another?

"It changes. But normally black." I grinned a Cheshire cat grin, and he nodded solemnly. I was regretfully done with the yummy soup, and so I pushed the bowl slightly away and turned so I could really face him.

"For me, as well, but sometimes I think blue can a very enlightening color." He smiled.

Blue? Why blue? I decided to ask him about it, ask him about _everything_ about him, when his head snapped up to scrutinize the window in an almost inhumanly fast jerk. I started, glancing at the window too. All I saw was darkness outside; black silhouettes of trees and the twinkling stars.

He suddenly stood, offering his icy hand to me and saying in a strange voice, "Come. Let us go to the living room instead." Mystified and eager at the same time, I swiftly stood and placed my hand in his, giving me pleasant chills.

He gracefully led me to the room with the ring of couches and, in a very gentlemanly way, allowed me the first choice of seats. I randomly sat down on one of the cushy couches, and he sat on a couch nearby, so he was facing me. I decided to pick up the conversation again.

"Why blue? Where were you born? What was wrong with the window? What is it like—" I rattled on, a sudden desire to learn about him and his life coursing through me.

"Whoa, slow down." He laughed, interrupting me. His eyes twinkled, and I found myself feeling inexorably drawn to him. Ugh. Maybe it was the soup. Curse those Belgians! "I'll answer your questions if you answer mine." He grinned a heart-stopping grin, and leaned back into the couch, his arms crossed.

"Fair enough." I nodded agreeably. I wondered how this would turn out?

He took a deep breath. "Blue is a very soothing color, and it gives me a sense of peace. That is a feeling I rarely am able to enjoy."

"Why?"

"There are always a lot of things running through my mind." He answered in a cryptic tone, shrugging.

He continued, "I was born in Romania, Transylvania, to be more precise, in the outskirts of a town called Sighisoara. **(A/N: Pronounced sigi-show-ARA)** It was a beautiful town, rather small, but the buildings were considered architectural marvels, by some." His eyes gazed off into space, and I could tell just by looking at his expression he was very proud of his heritage.

**(A/N: I will also be changing Edward's history a bit, so he'll be more interesting for this. His whole history will be told later.)**

"Wow, isn't Transylvania where Count Dracula lived?" I hinted, smiling innocently.

He glanced at me curiously, innocently, before grinning and chuckling, "Oh yes, but I'm afraid he never showed up for any of the family reunions." He joked, and we laughed. Edward was a lot more intelligent and funny than I had originally thought.

_Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly._

_Now I can't let go of this dream._

And oh, he was clever, very clever.

"And what was wrong with the windows?" I finally inquired after a quick, comfortable silence. I wanted to know this.

He appeared to tense up, just slightly, turning towards the now pitch black glass wall, but he said, "It was nothing, really. I thought perhaps a wild animal was lurking out there, and that would not have been too comfortable." He told me with enough sincerity that I easily believed him.

"Okay."

He turned back towards me, the questions almost visible through his eyes. "My turn."

"Fair enough." I said again, preparing myself for the upcoming interview.

"What are you thinking about?

Well, that wasn't what I had been expecting. I noticed he was staring at me again in that odd way; like he was searching, probing, but not coming up with anything. I rose an eyebrow.

"That's an odd question."

He grimaced. "Kindly answer it. I really want to know."

Okay. Weird... but... "Um, I don't really know. I guess I'm thinking about how this place feels so... right. So comfortable. It feels like..." I paused, fiddling with the hen of my dress," like... home." I found myself staring at the dark window-wall behind his shoulder, appalled at myself for being so unthinkingly honest.

Oh, crap, did I just tell him I felt at _home_ here?

A-W-K-W-A-R-D.

But then, to my immense surprise, he nodded. "I do, too."

My jaw dropped to the floor. "But... but, huh?" I stuttered, completely thrown off my the rebuff-he-never-gave-me. He chuckled.

"It's natural, you see, most people feel naturally drawn to—" He suddenly seemed to choke on his words, snapping his mouth shut like a trapdoor. His face became guarded, heavily guarded. I just stared.

He let out a frustrated breath, and I suddenly noticed we were unconsciously leaning towards each other across the little coffee table.

"I always say too much around you." He finally muttered, more at himself that at me, but he suddenly glanced up at me through his lashes, "It is just so _easy_ to be myself around you." And in his eyes, I saw a kind of helplessness, a kind of sadness, and a kind of... desire? I blinked.

He sighed. "Would you like to go outside?" He suddenly asked, standing up and offering his pale hand for the second time this night.

I took it easily, but then wondered aloud, "What about the wild animal you thought you saw?"

He smirked. "It should be gone by now."

He led me back to front door and opened it, letting me pass by first. He really was like a guy from, what, the 1920s? But that was one of things about him that made my cheeks redden.

The cold, November wind bit at my exposed ankles, but I disregarded the feeling, because I was too busy staring at the marvelous spectacle above; the stars. I passively wondered if this was the part where Edward was supposed to disembowel me and drink my blood.

No. I shook myself, wanting to enjoy this part of the night. But then I realized that I had been enjoying most of the night, anyways.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I heard Edward ask, and I turned to face him, fully expecting him to have been staring at the sky, like me. But I blushed when I realized he had been staring at _me_. I don't think I've blushed this many times in the last year than I have during this date.

"Yes. The night is very beautiful." I sighed when I turned away, my hair playing slightly in the cold breeze.

"It is the only time we can see the stars." Edward's velvety voice agreed. Suddenly, he was right next to me, the wind rippling through his bronze hair and black-tipped bangs. He took my hand, almost without thinking, and gently pulled me towards a small, orange pinprick of light, flickering off about fifty feet away into the dense woods. It was barely visible.

Edward carefully maneuvered me, Pleasers and all, around all the branches and crevices; how, I don't know. He must have great night vision.

The trees began thinning after what seemed like an eternity, but Edward's icy hand on mine seemed to numb my senses, making me less aware of time.

And then, we broke though the dark treeline, into one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen in my life.

I gasped, and Edward chuckled.

It was a meadow by the looks of it, perfectly circular in shape and covered in a sea of gently swaying wild grasses and flowers. And in the very middle of the clearing sat a tall stone statue; a memorial by the looks of it. A single, half-melted candle sat in a brass holder sat at its base.

Edward tugged me closer to the memorial-statue, and we slowly approached the thing. The whole image was almost unreal, almost dream-like, with the shadows cast by the candle and the stars twinkling high above.

I think I forgot who I was, where, and why. The chilling November wind simply blew my mind away. I was left breathless.

And to think, that all of it paled next to the glory of the person standing next to me. In all his intelligence, genteel, and wicked sense of humor. His stunning eyes, golden as they were, and the band t-shirts I now realized I longed to melt into.

I.

"It's my grandmother's." He said quietly, the glowing candlelight flickering off his face.

Was.

"The Berkshire was hers before my family inherited it." He inherited it? I didn't know that.

Falling.

"Sometimes I come here to pay respects. I was very close to my grandmother."

And.

"She knew what it was like to be alone. To be unaccepted." He sighed sadly. I longed to wipe the sensuous frown off his face.

Falling.

"I just thought you'd like to meet her." He said softly, staring into the twinkling sky above, like he was lost.

Hard.

"Thank you." I finally managed to whisper out, trying to absorb my huge revelation. I think I had known all along, but had not acknowledged it.

Why had I been so blind?

Who was I to question who he was, or what he was?

I was falling. Falling, and falling... I night have felt foolish; I'd only known him for, what? A week or so? But I couldn't help feeling overcome by something far beyond me.

_Shouldn't have let you conquer me completely._

_Now I can't let go of this dream._

_Can't believe that I feel..._

"Are you alright?" He asked me, suddenly noticing how glazed my eyes were. I swallowed and quickly blinked, banishing all traces of the oncoming tears. God, I hadn't cried since I was fifteen and my cat died.

I nodded. "I'm just touched you would trust me enough to show me this." I sighed, glancing up at the stars again. He nodded, smiling.

Suddenly, the night's silence was broken by the scattered screechings and flappings of... bats?

Edward and I turned to face the noise, a breeze ruffling my red velvet skirt slightly, and were surprised to see a large colony of bats flapping overhead. Their spindly wings beat powerfully, gracefully, against the cold wind, and their piercing cries shattered the night in a way I could not describe.

"What's your favorite thing about bats, Bat Boy?" I asked him playfully. His eyes sparkled oddly.

"The way they fly. On the ground, or in caves, they look so uncoordinated, like living umbrellas," He laughed, "But when they're in the air, they're like eagles of the underworld." We grinned as we watched the bats dive in and out in a complicated sky-dance.

"True," I contemplated, admiring the way they flitted around the speckled sky, "But I would have to say my favorite thing about them is..." I broke off, unsure as to whether I should voice it.

"Is?" Edward prompted curiously.

I relented. "Their vampire teeth." I grinned impishly.

To my slight surprise, he laughed, the sound being blown away by another gust of wind. I didn't feel cold anymore.

"You know," He leaned in closer to me, and my breath caught at the sight of the smoldering ocher of his eyes, "Not all bats have fangs."

And then he pressed his cold, hard lips against my own.

The bats shrieked and dived in the sky above, the stars speckling the night sky like nature's greats canvas.

_Pour real life down on me._

_'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough._

_Am I good enough for you to love me too?_

**Next chapter I am definitely going to do THIS chapter in Edward's POV; there are some key points that can only be reached by him. Keep on remembering Mike and that weird window!**

**I think this was my favorite chapter to write so far. I had this sudden burst of emotion right in the middle, and I was on this emotional roll; I couldn't stop typing! I know this kind of sounds stupid, but I felt a little overcome myself near the end. Maybe it was because I was listening to Good Enough, by Evanescence, right now. That's a fairly emotional song.**

**Ah, Bella, Bella...**

**Do you like how I kind of melded Edward's meadow and Alexander's grandma's grave together?**

**R**

**E**

**V**

**I**

**E**

**W**

**Bite Marks on Neighboring Carrots,**

**VeggieVamp**


	12. First Date in 100 Years

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the music/bands/etc. mentioned.

**Here you go, folks! THANKYOUTHANKYOU for the wonderful reviews!**

**Remember, it's the last chapter from Edward's POV, and it's actually quite a bit longer. Song is **_Love in Cold Blood _**by H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty).**

**BIG thank-you to suicidalxnightmare for her idea, kudos! **

_**Edward Point Of View**_

_Drenched in blood_

_The adored and loved_

_Will give in to..._

I was standing in the middle of Alice's gargantuan bathroom. I nervously tugged at the collar of my black, Thai silk skirt. It was almost 8:00, and I was NOT ready! I was sure enough of my masculinity that I admitted I could have used some of Alice's help right now.

Speaking of which, Alice had been true to her promise; the family was off on a hunting trip in Oregon. They had absolutely no clue as to what would happen tonight, thank God.

And so left me, alone, in the house, preparing for the first date in my one-hundred-odd years of existence. Whoopee.

But I was, truly, excited. Very much so. And that was not only quite stupid, but unbelievably selfish of me. I supposed after what happened earlier, with those thugs, I would be in no mood for a date, but I found myself very anxious to see if Bella was OK, too.

Desperately, I reached over the bathroom sink, snagged a bottle of Alice's hair gel off the white tile, and squeezed some out onto a comb. Slowly, surely, I reached up and tentatively snagged some of my unruly hair into the teeth of the comb. I aimlessly smacked the gel onto my head, completely unsure of what I was doing. I wished I could see what I looked like.

But, of course, I was a vampire. I had no reflection, and the only thing I saw in Alice's huge, full-body mirror was a levitating comb. Spooky, I know.

I could faintly hear the sound of a steady heartbeat, swiftly approaching my house. The roar of a truck soon overwhelmed the sound, and I panicked, dropping the comb on the floor and rushing out of the bathroom and into the entrance hallway. I ran to the kitchen, which of course we never used until now, and checked up on the soup I'd made. I had absolutely no idea if she'd like it._ I_ couldn't taste it! Thank goodness Esme liked collecting cookbooks.

The chugging of Bella Swan's truck was abruptly cut short as she parked in our driveway. Her pulse seemed to accelerate. Her mind was silent, as always.

I paced in the kitchen as I heard her open her car door and hop out. If I were human, I probably would have passed out from cardiac arrest! I knew my face was paler than usual.

She clunked up the porch steps; she probably had combats on, and rang the doorbell. I winced as the deafening chime rang through the house. Well, that was my cue.

Shit.

I skittishly rushed over to the bouquet of roses on the counter I'd tentatively picked out for her this morning... would it seem too stuffy? Old-fashioned? In technicality, I _was_ about 100 years old.

With flowers in hand, I slowly approached the front door, wondering if this was a bad idea after all. Perhaps I should just cancel it. No, no, that would be stupid.

I turned the knob and pulled the door open at a snail pace. The sound of her pulse and breathing were enticingly close. And her smell, oh, her smell... I shouldn't even be thinking about that, not now...

Desperate for fresh air and reprise, I whipped the door open to meet my fate. My face was blasted with a wave of freesia and lavender, sending my senses reeling.

But I instantly dismissed the fact that Bella Swan's blood was so very tempting, so very inviting, because the moment I caught sight of her, the monster was shoved down and the man forced his way out of the cage.

She was drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Pun intended.

The dim porch light made her porcelain skin seem to glow, and her long, mahogany hair was let loose, smooth and shiny. I resisted the sudden urge to stroke it. Her full, kissable lips were completely black with lipstick; I just managed to restrain myself from kissing them. Her large, brown, doe-like eyes were framed with the kind of eyeshadow that made a guy like me drop to their knees. Thankfully, I managed to keep myself upright.

She was wearing the most beautiful dress; red velvet with black lace and thin, elegant white ribbons crisscrossing on the front. It was most definitely not sluttish, but I delighted in the fact that is accentuated her luscious curves and showed off her fishnetted legs with not too much to be desired. She looked like a Gothic goddess. And a sane one at that. It did not appear that the earlier fiasco in Port Angeles had deeply affected her.

"Um. Hello. Glad you could make it. You look lovely tonight." I managed to mutter, averting my eyes to her black platform heel Pleaser boots. Ugh, why, why did she wear those? They made her look so tempting, but I knew she was infamously clumsy.

She seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, her heart beating furiously, before murmuring back in her sweet voice, "Hi. Thanks... for inviting me..." She smiled sheepishly, a beautiful thing, and I chuckled. Her heart skipped a beat.

My hands were clasped around the roses behind my back. A thorn was poking into my side, both literally and figuratively, and so I shyly brought my left hand out, clutching the bouquet. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw I still wore the spider ring. I wished I could tell her I wouldn't have taken it off for the world, but that would have seemed pretty creepy.

She wordlessly took the flowers, smiling slightly. Her warm, soft fingers brushed my cold, hard ones ever so slightly, and before I could realize was happened, a bolt of electricity seemed to flow between us at the scanty contact. My senses suddenly came alive, my throat burst into flame, and I quickly withdrew my hand. Better safe than sorry. I cut my breath.

"Thank you, they're beautiful." She breathed, and I felt relieved. Thank goodness, she liked them. She let out a breath, before admitting, "No one has ever given me flowers before."

I was grateful for the distraction from that spark, that electricity. I battled with the monster. I hadn't had this much trouble with her scent before; why now? Probably because we were completely alone. And she was completely alluring.

I became curious, slightly doubtful. No one had ever given her flowers before? Blasphemy! "Never before? I'm sure you must have had tons of boyfriends who've given you flowers."

She blushed a luscious red, making my stomach tighten, and shook her head. No?

"I've never had a boyfriend." She told me, enough sheepishness evident in her voice that I knew she was being completely truthful. I felt oddly happy at hearing such a fact. She absently rubbed one of the rose's petals between her black-nailed index finger and thumb, releasing the sweet aroma into the air, clearing my head slightly.

"Oh. Um, would... would you like to come in?" I stuttered, suddenly realizing we'd been standing on the porch for about five whole minutes. Real smooth, Cullen. I smiled crookedly and stepped aside, extending my arm for her to enter.

_Love's feline eyes_

_In darkness shine_

_On her web_

"Please." She smiled a heart-melting smile, and quickly stepped past me into the house. Her pulse calmed just slightly. I allowed myself one, slow, calming breath, laced with freesia.

When she got to the middle of the entrance hall, she turned around to face me. I swiftly pushed the door shut, cutting off the only available 'vent'. Not that I didn't enjoy the lavender/freesia aroma, but it would be so much more safe to have a door open. Too late now.

"Dinner's ready." I announced excitedly. Would she like it? I hadn't cooked in all my life; literally. When I'd been human, it was always my mother who made supper. Never me, or my father. When I was changed, I no longer needed human sustenance, and, well, 2 and 2 should fit together pretty well.

As I quickly led her towards the dining room, she asked, "Did you make it?" Her voice held a small amount of anxiety, and I passively wondered if she _already_ doubted my culinary skills. Not a good sign, not at all... I nodded nervously, unsure of how to react.

She laughed a musical laugh. "That's good. My father, Charlie, sometimes makes things that question the morality of food itself." She giggled lightly, probably remembering some past incident, and I couldn't help but let a few chuckles out myself. Perhaps that was a story I might ask of her later.

"Well, I should hope that my cooking standards don't leave such an impression on you." I smiled, a small burst of confidence suddenly coursing through me. Did vampires produce testosterone?

"I should hope not." She grinned, and I let out an inaudible sigh of relief that she wasn't completely opposed to tasting whatever I made. I think it was from Belgium.

We arrived in the rarely used dining room; sometimes Carlisle used it for family meetings. Before Bella arrived, I'd had to dust off the chairs and table quite profusely. Bella looked stunned. Her eyes darted from the half-full vase on the table, to my face, and I nodded. She stepped forward with an air of caution and carefully placed her bouquet into the water. She stepped back and admired the image. I took the opportunity to admire her.

I shook myself. "I'll get the food, do you want something to drink?" I wouldn't mind some fresh air.

"I'll take anything." She said passively, still admiring the room. Esme would be ecstatic! I beamed, and started towards the kitchen, wondering what 'anything' could mean. Just... anything? Suddenly, she interrupted my ponderings with a hurried, "Um, actually I'll have water."

"Sure. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back." I wonder why the change of mind? It was times like these that I really wished I could read her mind.

Quickly, I scurried to the kitchen, anxious not to keep her waiting, but also craving a gulp of fresh air. I lunged for the window and thrust it open, allowing a fully-fledged burst of ice-cold, fresh November oxygen to hit me in the face. Desperately, I gulped the air in like water, (or blood, unfortunately, in my case), until my senses were completely refreshed. I felt much stronger.

I reminded myself; Bella was not a meal. She was a person. A girl, woman, _person_. And she _would_ be thought of as such.

I silently withdrew my head from the open window, composing my face, and closing it. Much better. I heard Bella pull out a chair in the next room, and sit down. The chair squeaked as she scootched herself closer to the table.

Hastily, I grabbed a couple of bowls from the counter and ladled in some of the soup into each bowl. Belgian soup, yes, Belgian. I took care to put a lot less in my bowl without making it seem like I was starving myself; I didn't want to eat anything if I could help it. That would only result in a later series of unpleasant purging, lasting from 30 to 45 minutes. Yuck.

The heat of the soup began to seep through the ceramic of the bowl, pleasantly warming my icy fingers. I placed the bowls on the counter and dashed to the cabinets, picking out a pair of fine crystal goblets from when my grandmother had still been alive. That had been about 92 years ago. She died when I had only been a naive, fifteen-year-old human boy. I sighed as I filled the goblets with tap water. My grandmother and I had been so close.

Pushing my forlorn thoughts out of my head, I swiftly and gracefully tucked the goblets between my fingers and picked up one steaming bowl in each hand. They weighed about as much as a sheet of paper.

When I reentered the dining room, I was just in time to see Bella pull her napkin out from under the silverware and smooth it out onto her lap. Her scent drifted to my nose, and I forced myself to believe it was a pleasant perfume or something, rather than the enticing scent of blood.

_Love in cold blood_

_Leave me in sweet suffering_

_Love in cold blood_

"Hello." I lamely said, causing her to whip her head up at my entrance. I swiftly made my way over to her at a human pace, easily carrying the bowls and goblets like air. Her heart rate sped up, yet again, and I wondered why.

I set one plate and one goblet down in front of her, anxious to see what she thought of it, but strangely enough, she seemed to go into a slight daze when we made eye contact. Her eyes glazed over slightly, and I blinked, surprised by the intensity of her stare. Disconcerted, I took a step back, hastily hurrying over to my end of the table.

When I managed to set my bowl and goblet down and seat myself, she shook her head slightly an her eyes cleared.

Not knowing exactly what to do, I attempted to pick up some conversation. "I hope you're hungry." Was the brilliant sentence I came up with. Idiot! She wouldn't be eating dinner with me if she weren't hungry! I carefully picked up my spoon, unsure of how to exactly use it. Of course, I _knew_ how to, but I stopped using eating utensils almost 100 years ago.

"I can't imagine a moment when I'm not." She smiled in an unintentionally sultry way, her voice flirtatious. Was she flirting with me? HA! "What about you?" She asked, the question hanging in the air. The dim lighting seemed to make Bella's eyes sparkle.

I decided to be cryptic, offhandishly so. I smiled in a bemused way. "Occasionally. But always thirsty." This might turn out to be fun.

Her expression became contemplative, and I longed to find out the inner workings of her mind. She took that moment to peer down into her soup. From here, across the table, I could see the way her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed the floating pieces of cilantro.

When she didn't do anything other than stare at it, I began to worry. Was it really so bad she wouldn't even taste it? Were the soup fumes incapacitating her? Oh, God...

Maybe if I told her what it was. I wracked my mind for the name of the stuff... it was from Belgium, and I knew it was creamy... oh, right! "Oh, um, it's Belgian. Cream of Belgian endive soup." Yes, that's what it was. Endives were bitter, curly plants that were good in this kind of thing. I think. I have no taste for anything other than blood, gruesomely enough.

Well, I suppose that cleared the matter up, because she suddenly took a determined expression and tentatively dipped her spoon into the soup. I watched her with a burning intensity. This was way better than pay-per-view! She slowly brought the spoon to her mouth, and I watched as she swallowed the concoction.

Her eyes seemed to light up, and she dipped her spoon into the soup once again, faster this time. I chuckled as another, and another, and another spoonful of the creamy soup disappeared into her mouth. "I take it you like it?" I inquired smugly, relieved I was not a complete failure at the culinary arts. I fingered the unused spoon in my hand.

Without saying anything, she nodded enthusiastically and sipped another spoonful. She was so beautiful, radiant. She suddenly glanced up at me, a sort of wonder and admiration in her eyes.

"This is excellent!" She exclaimed brightly, and I felt my ego starting to expand. Great. Alice always told me I was an arrogant fellow, even if I didn't wear the fact on my sleeve. "I think you have actually changed the way I look at Belgium and it's soups. Aren't you going to have some?" She asked me oddly. This could be awkward.

"I like to watch you eat." I blurted out, crumbling slightly from the intensity of her stare. Her mind was so silent, and I was so used to the river of voices. It was disconcerting. "I'm not so hungry, as I said before." I quickly added, just to be safe.

She looked frustratingly cynical for a moment, before saying, "Well, you don't know what you're missing, Bat Boy." She grinned mischievously as she pushed some of her soup around the edge of her bowl with the spoon.

I rose an eyebrow. Bat Boy? Where _did _she get these names from? I knew she called that vile little boy, Mike Newton, Soccer Snob. I decided to play along, smirking, "Bat Boy? I wouldn't be so sure of yourself, Bat Girl." The roses in the middle of the table blocked her face whenever I leaned back in my chair, I noticed with profound annoyance.

And so, before she could respond, I abruptly set down my spoon, pushed my chair away from the table, stood up, and quickly made my way over to the seat next to her. Her brown eyes followed me curiously. When I pulled the chair out, I made eye contact with her to convey my apologies. "I'm sorry, it's just," I laughed awkwardly, "I can't see your face through the roses, and I'll admit you are far more lovely." It was true, that much I could say.

She blushed faintly, and I felt just the tiniest amount of the mountain lion blood from last night's hunt fill the pallor of my cheeks. Just the tiniest bit. Wow. No one knew how to appeal like Bella.

She regained her pink composure. "No problem. I _was_ wondering why you had such a long table..." I noticed her muscles relaxed slightly.

"My family always eats together," I was loath to lie to Bella, but what would I have said? _Oh, gee Bella, my family and I _do_ eat together. Just in the mountains, for large game, rather than at the dinner table._ "So, what made you come here? I'm sure Phoenix must have been far more... sunny." I moved to fresh subject, eager to get the conversation moving and hopefully get a peek into the mysterious mind that was Bella. My mind was invaded with wishful thinkings of the sunlight, in all it's brightness and warmth, and how it was eternally cut off to us. Vampires.

She seemed to contemplate answering, her brow furrowing, before sighing, "My mother got remarried last spring. She was unhappy." I looked at her in mystification. And this caused her to mover here _why_? She quickly continued after seeing my expression. "She was torn between her new guy and me. So, I decided to give her space and come to the 'Wonderful World of Forks.'" I detected the distinct note of sarcasm, and my expression became sympathetic.

"I know how it feels to be torn." I told her, remembering back to the many times when I'd been torn. In 1927, I was torn between humans and animals for blood. I made the wrong choice, and wasted a good three years on a 'journey' of macabre 'self-discovery', before returning to Carlisle in shame. The years rolled by. So many bad choices. So many wrong paths. I inwardly sighed.

And now, I was faced with perhaps the most important choice yet, sitting not a foot from me. Would I make wrong choice, yet again? My existence was full of wrong, bad, and just plain stupid choices I'd made. I was determined not to mess this one up.

_Love in cold blood_

_Put me out my misery_

_Love in cold blood_

I realized I'd been glaring at the tablecloth, and swiftly brought myself back to the present, asking, "What's your favorite color?" Perhaps the most cliche and random question there is to ask. Hopefully she'd see me as just curious, rather than unoriginal.

"It changes. But normally black." She grinned like an asylum-escapee, which strangely enough, on her, looked insufferably adorable. I nodded. She was done with her soup, and pushed it away with a sad expression. I smiled slightly, not enough for her to see, but smiled. She turned in her chair so we were properly facing each other.

"For me, as well, but sometimes I think blue can a very enlightening color." I said, widening my smile so she could see it with her human eyes. Her heart rate sped up. It kept doing that. Was it me?

She seemed about to ask me something, and I was delighted she was willing to converse with me. Most humans are unknowingly repelled from monsters like me, and avoid us. But, of course, Bella was not most humans.

And then, I heard it. And smelt it.

_Shit, gotta look and go, look and go. .. Come on! Just like mommy taught you... Push the branches aside... Step quietly on the ground... I wonder if there are any security cameras? They're God damn rich enough..._

A thought stream broke into my mind, one I had heard before, but did not immediately know exactly who. The thoughts did not sound good.

And the scent, it, also, was quite familiar. Slightly of cheap cologne, slightly of beef jerky... Of course, the scent of blood was there, too, but by being in Bella's presence long enough, I was rather desensitized. I was safe. She was safe. At least, for now.

_There's the window... the light's on... can't wait, this'll be good..._

The thoughts invaded my mind again, and I snapped my head up in an inhumanly fast jerk, towards the window. Sounds could be heard clearly, to a vampire, of snapping branches and crunching gravel. A pulse beat quickly and anxiously as well. Bella froze in surprise, glancing at the window as well. I knew she heard nothing, and saw only blackness.

But I saw more. With my vampire eyes I tensely scanned the outside world, my enhanced sight unveiling shadows and clarifying colors. A shadow lurked about three feet from this very window, behind some bushes, and I caught the jerky cologne scent again.

And then, I caught sight of a row of blond, gelled up spikes, peeking out from where the figure was crouching. The way his hair was done up, just like always.

Newton. Filthy, stinking, Newton. What the F— was he doing at _my_ house? This wasn't good. Newton suddenly army-crawled up to the side of my house, right underneath the window.

_I can see him in there, wait, is someone else in there too...? Maybe his siblings... he's got, like, what, fifty billion of them...?_

Newton's thoughts were starting to annoy me, and I knew it was time to get out. If he saw Bella and I together, it would only brew trouble. I stood up, offering my hand to her, anxious to get away from the Peeping Mike under the window. I could deal with him later. I supposed I could go and rig his car once Bella had gone home.

She was mystified, of that I was sure, so I quickly said, "Come. Let us go to the living room instead." She immediately stood and took my offered hand, and the warmth of her skin gave me pleasant chills. I could see the questions in her eyes.

As fast as her human legs would allow me, I led her to the hallway to living room, uncomfortably aware of Mike's eyes boring into our backs, just as we managed to escape the room. Shit...

_Holy crap, is... is... that Bella...? Oh my GOD... is that... is that..._

And then we left the room. I hoped Mike would not decide to play news reporter tomorrow... But right now I wanted to dedicate my night to spending time with and getting to know Bella. I'd deal with Mike later, he was only a pesky Soccer Snob, after all.

I led her to the living room and allowed her the first choice of seats. She plonked down onto the nearest couch and stared at my face. I sat on a couch nearby, not too close, but so we were sufficiently facing each other.

She startle me by bursting out, "Why blue? Where were you born? What was wrong with the window? What is it like—" She babbled, a kind of fire lighting in her soulful eyes as she demanded answers from me. Not even vampires can answer four questions at once, so I cut in,

"Whoa, slow down," I laughed, and I felt impossibly drawn to her, to her scent and her eyes... and not in the way the monster enforced. She pouted at being interrupted. "I'll answer your questions if you answer mine." I leaned back into my couch and crossed my arms, grinning as I noticed how cute she looked when she pouted.

"Fair enough." She concurred, nodding.

I took a deep breath, wondering how to put her question. Why blue? Why _did _I like blue? "Blue is a very soothing color, and it gives me a sense of peace. That is a feeling I rarely am able to enjoy." I summed it up, pleased I could fit such a vast feeling for something into a couple of sentences.

"Why?"

"There are always a lot of things running through my mind." I said with a shrug, telling the truth while leaving the details firmly out. I heard Mike Newton, to my profound relief, get up from his hiding place and start to make his way back to whatever hellhole he came from. Or his house, I suppose you could say.

_...not good... the rumors are my ally... the rumors are my ally... I said I'd get her back... stupid Cullen..._

I pondered what his thoughts could lead to. My family _knew_ that a little rumor had been started that we were vampires, which was of course right on the mark, but we weren't going to pledge guilty. Small-town rumors weren't anything to worry about until someone found some _real_ proof.

And what was that about getting Bella back? I didn't know, but I would hopefully be by her side for whatever it was. I decided to continue answering. She had asked about my birthplace.

"I was born in Romania, Transylvania, to be more precise, in the outskirts of a town called Sighisoara. **(A/N: Pronounced sigi-show-ARA)** It was a beautiful town, rather small, but the buildings were considered architectural marvels, by some." Her eyes widened at the mentioning of Transylvania, and I hoped she didn't believe the rumors. Why would she be here then? I did vaguely remember bits and pieces of my human life, but the clearest and most precious were the ones of my hometown and parents. But that story was for another day.

"Wow, isn't Transylvania where Count Dracula lived?" She smiled a smile I could not resist, and from her tone I could tell she was actually curious.

I glanced at her in wonderment. Did she always have to bring up subjects that just happened to be vampire-centric, whether in small amounts or large ones? I decided to play innocent, and joked, "Oh yes, but I'm afraid he never showed up for any of the family reunions."

Our laughter rang through the house. It was a nice sound.

"And what was wrong with the windows?" She finally asked, tilting her head just slightly. I knew I'd have to be careful with this, no need to freak her out with a story of a teenage Soccer Snob stalker under the windows... I tensed and glanced discreetly at the south wall, the one that was made up entirely of glass. I listened intently for any sounds of Newton, but apparently he'd gone home. Thank God.

"It was nothing, really. I thought perhaps a wild animal was lurking out there, and that would not have been too comfortable." I said in my most sincere tone. I wasn't really lying. Mike Newton could easily classify as a wild animal in _my_ book.

_Demonized_

_With divine insides_

_We draw our last breath_

"Okay." She believed me.

Now it was my turn to asked the questions. I turned back to the Gothic Goddess on the couch next to me and declared in a smug tone, "My turn."

"Fair enough." She repeated, seeming to inwardly brace herself for an onslaught of questioning. But so far, there was only one thing that was really nagging at me.

"What are you thinking about?" It was the thing I constantly wondered about, and no matter how much I wanted to know about her, I first needed some base ground to stand on. A piece of her thoughts would do just fine.

She rose an eyebrow. "That's an odd question."

I couldn't suppress my grimace. "Kindly answer it. I really want to know." I really, really did.

She consented, to my relief. "Um, I don't really know. I guess I'm thinking about how this place feels so... right. So comfortable. It feels like..." She paused, fiddling with the hem of her dress," like... home." She stared over my shoulder, through the window-wall and into the night. An expression of dread suddenly began to creek up her face at her confession.

But I was ecstatic, I knew how she felt about this place! She was human, and yet, she was not repelled by our dwelling, the Berkshire. It was odd, but at least I knew she wasn't afraid. I kind of wished she would be, so then she'd be safe as she ran away from me, but I was being selfish. And it wasn't as if I were going to tell her about my secret, anyways.

I decided to save her some misery. "I do, too." I said, nodding, and she stared at me.

Her jaw dropped, to my amusement, and she stuttered, "But... but, huh?" Ah, if only she knew. Normally, I would have been quite disturbed to know a human felt at home here, but in Bella's case, well...

I chuckled, feeling the need to explain. Her eyes seemed to hypnotize me sparkling pools of chocolate and mystery. "It's natural, you see, most people feel naturally drawn to—"

And then I realized what I was saying. I bit my tongue so hard it probably would have been severed if I wasn't nearly indestructible, snapping my mouth shut audibly as I inwardly cursed my loudmouth tendencies around the girl next to me. I had been so close to telling her, telling her the truth. I composed my face so it held no emotions.

I could feel her stare, boring into my head. I sighed in frustration, suddenly aware of how close she and I were leaning towards each other across Esme's oak coffee table. But I did not withdraw.

I muttered, more to myself than to her, "I always say too much around you." I suddenly glanced up at her through my lashes, "It is just so _easy_ to be myself around you." I admitted, losing myself in her eyes. They held a kind of confusion, a kind of hope, and a kind of... wishfulness? I could not understand this girl, and that only made me want to dig deeper to find out.

I sighed. I really did want to continue this little date with no more incidents, and so I decided on taking her the one place only my family and I knew of. The one place I hoped I would be able to trust her with. I stood, "Would you like to go outside?" I offered my hand for the second time this night, and she took it eagerly, also for the second time this night.

"What about the wild animal you thought you saw?" She asked me anxiously as I drew her towards the front door. I smirked.

"It should be gone by now." I said nonchalantly, opening the front door and letting her pass by first. I had always been the gentleman of the family.

She stepped out onto the dimly lit porch, the wind ruffling her skirt and hair slightly and causing her scent to cascade through my senses. But I didn't mind, not so much as before, at least; freesia mixed with the crisp, autumn air was probably one of the best aromas I'd ever smelled. Putting aside the fact it was just as enticing.

Her gaze drifted to the night sky, scattered with twinkling stars. I remained on the doorstep, watching her wistfully.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" In asked airily, still staring at the back of her head. She snapped her head over at my voice, and abruptly blushed at my comment. I inwardly chuckled; she needn't be so modest.

"Yes. The night is very beautiful." She sighed and turned her head away again, the wind playing gently in her mahogany locks.

"It is the only time we can see the stars." I agreed wholeheartedly, although we both knew it had not been the sky I was originally talking about. I silently appeared next to her, a breeze weaving through my hair. I took her pleasantly warm hand, gently, so I wouldn't break it, and began to pull her towards the woods. She followed willingly, curiously.

About fifty feet away from where we were, a candle flickered brightly. I could see it perfectly, right down to the melted wax at its base. It was a beacon, a lighthouse, of sorts. I supposed Alice had put it there. I'd have to thank her later.

I was extremely, extremely careful to guide Bella towards the light. With my vampire vision, I cautiously and carefully maneuvered her around all the crevices, stones, and precarious branches on the forest floor, and pushed aside all the overhanging ones. It didn't help that she was wearing knee-high platform heels, but who was I to object?

After about ten long minutes of careful leading, the trees thinned out and eventually stopped. And then we broke through the treeline, and into one of my favorite places on the entire planet.

Bella's heartbeat picked up, and she gasped at the sight of the beautiful meadow. I chuckled. That had been the exact reaction _I'd _had when I had first laid eyes on the place. Now it was my favorite spot to think and relax, a sort of haven.

The light of the candle was rather bright to my eyes, contrasting so viscously with the darkness everywhere else. The flickering flame cast eerily romantic shadows on the ground, causing Bella's pale, heart-shaped face to glow beautifully. I gently tugged her closer towards the centerpiece of the meadow; my grandmother's grave.

When I'd been a human teenager, I had dreamed of being either an artist or a musician. I was a brilliant painter for a boy my age, a master with a brush and palette. But I had also been a very gifted piano player, having had lessons since the age of five, and an exceptionally good ear for music. I was equally torn between the two. My parents wanted me to be a lawyer.

But my grandmother, a wizened old woman at the ripe age of 72, always encouraged me to chase whatever dreams I had and always persevere. She wasn't very high on the social circle, especially since she was poor and her husband, my grandfather, had passed away just two years before. She was generally unaccepted by the public for her lack of etiquette and free-spiritedness; traits that were irritatingly unencouraged in women back then.

But I had always loved visiting her from Chicago, in Forks. The Berkshire was technically mine, after she'd died when I was fifteen, but I had handed over custody to Carlisle. My meadow and the grave within it was all that belonged to me now, and all that I had left of my grandma. For a long time, I was sure no beauty could compare, not to the gently waving wild grasses and flowers, or the magnificent marble gravestone.

Now my mind was set elsewhere. For example, on the beautiful, funny, fiery, intelligent person standing next to me on this dark night.

_Love in cold blood_

_Leave me in sweet suffering_

_Love in cold blood_

The stars sparkled above our heads, and another breeze swept through the clearing. Bella had a faraway look in her eyes, and I supposed a little history was in order.

"It's my grandmother's." I informed her softly, still in the flickering light of the candle. "The Berkshire was hers before my family inherited it."

Her hold on my hand tightened just slightly. I continued,

"Sometimes I come here to pay respects. I was very close to my grandmother." I sighed sadly, "She knew what it was like to be alone. To be unaccepted."

A slight nod. I felt oddly happy and disappointed at the same time. I was happy that she knew about it, but disappointed she didn't seem quite as enthralled as I.

"I just thought you'd like to meet her." I concluded softly, staring into the twinkling sky above, wondering who I really was in the world..

"Thank you." She whispered out, apparently trying to absorb the information. I took a fleeting glance at her face, only to be startle by the scent of saltwater; oncoming tears.

"Are you alright?" I asked anxiously, wondering if I had upset her in some way. What was I doing wrong?

She nodded slowly, to my slight relief, and managed to whisper, "I'm just touched you would trust me enough to show me this." She sighed, and stared up into the sky. I nodded, smiling in relief.

Abruptly, the night's peace was shattered. I was aghast; the sounds of flapping wings could be heard on the wind, and that could only mean on thing.

My family was returning from their hunting trip. Oh no, oh no...

Bella and I snapped our heads up to stare at the bats in the distance; my family. I gulped silently. They were screeching loudly and raucously, content and in good spirits from the hunt. They were approaching fast. I zoned in on their batty thoughts.

Alice, a petite little thing, flapped behind just slightly, her thoughts apologetic, _I'm sorry Edward... I tried to stall... _

Emmett was the largest bat I'd ever seen. He was a muscular little brute with a massive three foot wingspan, tip to tip. He flapped around the family boisterously, showing off his flying prowess. He had not yet noticed who was with me in the meadow.

Jasper had caught the scent; I could tell by the way he flew so tensely. He was fairly lanky bat, muscular, but kind of twiggy. His thoughts were appalled. _Edward...? Is that who I think it is...? You should have known better..._

Carlisle and Esme, being the leaders of the group, were quick to catch on to the brewing pandemonium. Carlisle, a medium-built bat with large ears, thought to me exasperatedly, Edward, I hope you know what you're doing... proceed with caution...

Esme was a small bat, almost as small as Alice, but with larger wings. She thought, _Edward, I am glad you have found someone... but... are you sure you are making a wise decision...? _

_We leave you alone for an hour and forty minutes, and what happens...?_ Rosalie, a slim and pretty specimen, fumed at me. She spun in mid-air in aggravation, _You'll have hell to pay with this, brother..._

How maddening! Rosalie's remarks brought on a wave of unexpected defiance, and I narrowed my eyes at my swiftly approaching family. Bella stared in awe of them, thinking they were nothing more than wild animals. Ah, if only she knew.

"What's your favorite thing about bats, Bat Boy?" She suddenly asked me, snapping me out of my reverie in a playful tone. My eyes sparkled. If only she knew.

I humored her, "The way they fly. On the ground, or in caves, they look so uncoordinated, like living umbrellas," I laughed, "But when they're in the air, they're like eagles of the underworld." We grinned together as my family fretted about the so-called 'predicament'. By now, even Emmett had figured out what was going on.

"True," She remarked, contemplating. My family started weaving around the wind currents above, patiently waiting until I could, _get rid of her!!!_, according to Rosalie. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"But I would have to say my favorite thing about them is..." She continued, breaking off at the last moment, looking torn. I wished desperately to read her mind, but instead I was forced to prompt,

"Is?"

She smiled impishly, relenting. "Their vampire teeth." She grinned at me elfishly. I couldn't help but laugh, it was so ironic! Up above, Emmett thought, _What's so funny...? The wind's too loud up here... _A loud and powerful gust of wind howled around us, as if to prove the point.

I suddenly felt like doing something, something I never wold have dared do before. I wanted to spite Rosalie. I wanted shock the rest of my family. But most of all, I wanted to kiss Bella.

I knew I had only known her, for... about... a week or so? But I could not help but feel that I would pay anything for Bella's love right now.

I set aside the danger; I wouldn't hurt her. I knew it, somehow.

I set aside our differences; she was human, and I was vampire, so what?

I set aside my family, for perhaps the first time in my life.

I leaned down, closing the distance between Bella and I. Her depthless brown eyes seemed to act like a magnet. I was a fly, and she was the Venus flytrap.

"You know," I leaned in closer to her, and her breath caught, "Not all bats have fangs."

And finally closed the space between us. Her mouth was soft and warm against mine, surprised, but eager. I was hungry. In that moment, I was a human again.

My family shrieked and swirled in the night air, but I was too lost to know what they were thinking.

_Darling take me home_

_To the castle of stones and bones_

_Sing me this song to remind me where I belong_

_In your arms, my love in cold blood _

**PHEW! FIFTEEN pages long, jeesh! I hope you liked it. Next chapter will sort of be a mixture between Chapter 11: Complications, in Twilight, and Chapter 17: Dream Date, in Vampire Kisses.**

**Again, thanks for suicidalxnightmare for the bat idea, heh. The Cullens CAN transform into bats. I think Edward would be a very sexy bat.**

**REVIEW! Or I will send you all a picture of my grandmother's feet!**

**For the poll, people voted that Edward's top two WORST characteristics were; he often overreacts, and he does WHATEVER he thinks is right, despite the consequences. (i.e. New Moon).**

**There's a new poll, go take a looksee!**


	13. The 'So Called' Hickey

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, Vampire Kisses, or any of the bands/music/etc. mentioned.

**Thank you for the reviews! Oh, and twilightfreek? Not All Bats Have Fangs humbly accepts your proposal! Lol, when's the wedding?**

**Here's the next chap; kind of a filler. Oh, and sorry, I lied. This chapter isn't a cross between those two chaps mentioned before, I'll have that next. I just wanted to add some good, ol' fashioned, classical, beet-red Charlie anger in here. :-) Oh, and don't forget Rose and her 'hell hath no fury' attitude. **

**Song is **_St. Anger _**by Metallica.****I honestly don't know what possessed me to choose this song, but this chapter has a lot of angry people in it! (Hides under computer chair)**

_**Bella's Point of View**_

_I feel my world shake_

_Like an earth quake_

_Hard to see clear_

His lips were cold and hard, but unbelievably gentle and passionate. Eagerly, I flung my arms around his neck and pressed myself into his stone-hard chest, my thoughts beginning to ebb from the Edward-induced bliss.

But unfortunately, Edward had other ideas. As soon as the contact increased, his eyes flew open and he gasped, breaking the kiss and sending both of us sprawling to the ground. The bats above us screamed eerily. 

Both of our breathing was heavy, but Edward seemed to struggle with himself on the ground, gasping at air but trying to hold his breath at the same time. Gee, was I really that bad of a kisser? And on the first date, too! Bad, bad Bella!

"I'm... sorry..." He finally managed to wheeze. I noticed his eyes, buttery gold not moments before, were now a pitch black.

"Umm..." I 'ummed' from the ground, still sprawled on the cold ground. The candle was starting to die, dimming ever so slightly. I was still frozen.

Wow, the first _real_ kiss of my life, and all I could say was 'umm'? Edward _had_ been a very good kisser, albeit the gasping and falling on the ground afterwards. 

"I...I..." My attention was snapped back to Edward, who was getting up from the ground, rubbing his head. "I...apologize. You see..." He seemed to struggle with his words, trying to come up with an excuse.

Fortunately, I felt I didn't really need one. I rose a hand in condolence, "No harm done." I grinned, and he relaxed. This night was turning out better than I expected. Edward got up, dusted off his slacks, and offered a hand. I took it, and he pulled me up. "Thanks."

He nodded his head absently, and his gaze strayed over my shoulder, to the star-speckled sky. Curiously, I turned so I could see what he was staring so intently at, and almost screamed.

"Rose, NO!" I passively heard Edward roar as one of the bats, a slimmer, pretty one, suddenly detached itself from the group and sped like an angry bullet.

Right.

Towards.

Me.

The bat was going so fast; much faster than a normal bat should be able to fly. It sped right at me, screeching like a banshee, wings folded so it was more aerodynamic. I had no time to move, it was coming at me so fast.

Edward snarled a profanity; actually snarled! Maybe it was my imagination. He moved to defend me, making to move in front of my frozen form. The wind rippled through his bronze hair as he almost made it.

Almost.

With a scream, the bat suddenly unfurled its black wings and struck out at my face with it's sharp talons.

It was then that two things happened. Time seemed to freeze. Or at least go in slow motion.

First, my muscles unfroze, and adrenalin started taking affect on my body.

Second, Edward sunk into a bestial crouch, apparently intending to pounce on the angry bat. Was he crazy? 

_And I want my anger to be healthy_

_And I want my anger just for me_

Time began again, and I immediately ducked my head so the crazy animal didn't get my face. Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to go completely unscathed. I cried out as I felt a thin, sharp claw slice into the side of my neck, before it broke away and the bat tumbled awkwardly in the air in an attempt to recover itself.

But by then it was too late. I fell to the ground clutching my neck, warm, moist blood seeping through my fingers and making me nauseous. I stared blearily at the scene taking place before me.

Edward growled animalistically as he pounced. He was so fast... I was pretty sure I was kind of hallucinating at this point. The rusty, salty smell of blood was smothering my senses.

He violently grabbed the bat out of the air, causing it to shriek in shock and pain, before landing expertly on the ground, like a cat. He clutched the creature in both hands, a fire burning in his pitch black eyes as he glared at the bat and appeared to yell at the poor thing.

The other bats began to fly down, also, crying and shrieking chaotically. When they touched the ground, they appeared to start growing in size, transforming... hallucinations, I groggily told myself.

The last thing I thought before completely blacking out was; _you can't talk to bats, they can't understand you... they're not people... they're not people..._

**Edward's POV**

"You sick _animal_!" I snarled at the creature I called _sister_, who I currently had in a strangle-hold in my hands. Rosalie squealed and thrashed, but her small, bat talons did nothing to my hard, granite skin. "What the (insert very bad word here) were you thinking, Rosalie! Why!" My hands were shaking uncontrollably, and Rosalie's struggles started weakening as I started squeezing her small body.

Bella lay not a few feet away, a thin trickle of blood sliding down her pale, luscious neck. She was unconscious. From here, I could see Rosalie hadn't done lasting damage, but a scar would be in order. I was so lost, I couldn't even smell the blood.

"Why?" I hissed at her, "Why are you so selfish?" And she did naught but squeak. Her thoughts were centered only of how her body was going to break if I kept the squeezing up.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, but shrugged it off with a growl. _Edward, stop this at once... _I heard Carlisle think, but I was so lost in my fury...

It was then I felt two muscular arms prying Rosalie away from me. Emmett.

"Stop," I snarled as I felt Jasper and Alice take hold of my arms, restraining me, "She deserves it..." 

"Edward, what the hell has gotten into you!" Carlisle asked in shock. His face was pale and his hands were clenched, "Killing a family member for... for..." He trailed off, and Esme took his hand, her eyes straying to Bella, who was still out cold.

"A human?" I snarled, and he flinched. I stopped, a sudden, horrible realization dawning upon me. I narrowed my eyes, my hands clenching into hard fists. "And it was you, _father_, who taught _me_ to respect those who are weaker than us."

"But that is no reason for your actions, Edward." Carlisle suddenly darkened, and I winced, unused to seeing such a harsh and angry side to Carlisle. He was usually the benevolent, compassionate one. "Perhaps if the girl is such a problem, we should end it." His tone had an underlying motive, and I quickly caught on.

"No, I would not damn her to this hell of eternal half-existence," I spat at him, my emotions clouding over my common sense and courtesy, "And if anyone tries to kill her, I'll kill them." My eyes strayed over to Emmett, who was cradling a very shocked and transformed Rosalie in his arms. He glared at me, and I glared right back. Rosalie was just stunned.

Carlisle sighed, shaking his head. Alice and Jasper kept silent the whole argument. Bella remained unconscious. 

"You cannot honestly keep this up forever," Carlisle started, his tone trying to lighten up into something more reasonable. "If that is what you choose, she will die eventually anyways."

"So be it." I hissed. If keeping Bella safely human meant this, so be it. I knew it was selfish of me, to watch her age as I remained eternally young, but she would _not_ become a vampire.

Carlisle pursed his lips in frustration. He knew he was treading thin ice, and he was not happy. "One last question, then." He asked coldly, and I glared defiantly. "Does she know what we are?"

I shook my head, and everyone visibly relaxed. Carlisle, still as a statue, nodded seriously. "Please try and keep it that way." And he nodded at Alice and Jasper, who promptly released me.

"Didn't know we were turning into a dictatorship," I muttered angrily as I rubbed my arms. Carlisle said nothing, but thought, _You know I cannot risk the family being uncovered for a human, Edward, be careful... you are not swimming in the safest waters..._

"Come, then." He finally sighed, glancing at the unconscious Bella, "We must make ourselves scarce. Edward will have to get her home..." He sighed, and his body began shrinking, his skin turning black and his clothes melting into his body. His ears lengthened, and his arms spread out.

Yes. The transformation between bat and vampire was not the most lovely in nature.

The Carlisle-bat glanced around wearily, before launching himself into the sky with cries that meant in bat-tongue, 'follow! Follow!'

Immediately, the rest of my family began shrinking and changing. Emmett had to prod Rosalie into it, because she was so shaken up. She took a fleeting glance at me, one of fear and anger, before swiftly changing and fluttering up to join the others.

And then there were two. It was once again silent as my family flew away.

I sighed, very unhappy at myself. I was now on the bad side of Carlisle, which was not the best of sides to be on. Before, I'd been on the annoyed side, the sad side, the disappointed side... but never truly the _bad_ side. I was not looking forward to the conversation we would have later. I was sure there was going to be one.

And Rosalie... Rosalie... How could she not be angry at me? I was going against almost everything Carlisle had built for us. In her eyes, Bella was nothing more than an unwelcome intruder, a threat to our humble existence. But I wasn't going to back down. Not now.

Bella stirred, and I quickly cut my breath. I wasn't in the safest of moods, and the blood scent was now threatening to over whelm me. She groaned, loudly, but I could tell she was still mostly asleep.

_Best to get her inside now and then try to come up with a passable excuse_, I reasoned with myself as I scooped up her feather-light body, trying to ignore the way her crimson blood soaked the ground. Thankfully, the wound had stopped bleeding and was now in the process of scabbing over.

I carried the girl I had fallen in love with towards the house in low spirits.

The candle died in a gust of cold wind behind my back.

_I hit the lights on these dark sets_

_I need a voice to let myself_

_To let myself go free_

**Bella POV**

The first thing knew was that my neck was sore. Then, as my senses became more aware, I noticed it was warm, I was lying on something soft, and there were bright lights...

My left hand was cold. But only my hand.

"Grmph?" I groaned, and I heard a chuckle. An all too familiar chuckle. I gasped, and my eyes flew open. I mindlessly started to scramble up into a sitting position, dazed and confused. I became even more befuddled when a pair of cold hands gently pushed me back down into the soft thing. My eyes closed again; I was tired.

Then my memories caught up with me, gushing into my head like a river; the date, the SOUP, the meadow, the grave, the kiss, the bat, the blood...

"The blood!" I gasped, and my eyes opened again. I stared into liquid butterscotch.

"The blood?" He asked in a velvet tone, a bemused one, "You must have hit your head pretty hard there."

"Huh?" I bumbled, confused. Hit my head? Since when? "But, the bat, and it attacked me, and you were, you were..." I stopped, remembering vividly (or so I thought) the way Edward had crouched and pounced and snarled so animalistically. So inhumanly. But I pushed that thought out of my mind.

He smiled a tight smile. "I guess umbrellas are more dangerous than they're meant out to be." 

Okay, okay, _freeze_. Umbrellas and hitting my head? I was getting nowhere, so I cautiously decided to ask him to clarify. "Um, could you tell me what happened? I have no idea what..." I trailed off, looking at him expectantly. A faint note of suspicion hung in my gaze. 

"Of course." He said solemnly. He looked me in the eyes, as if he wanted to make extra sure to completely convey the facts to me, "You remember we were going to head outside." He nodded, I nodded. He continued, "Well, one of Esme's umbrellas that she likes to lean up against the doorframe happened to be sticking out at an odd angle, and, well, you tripped and hit your neck on the handle." He shrugged sheepishly. I brought my fingers to my neck, where, indeed, a square of gauze was carefully taped on. I let my hand drop.

It seemed convincing enough. Kind of. After all, what had happened with the bat and stuff had most definitely not seemed like a dream. Oh no, had the kiss been a dream too? A pitiful feeling of despair settled itself in my stomach, and I frowned. Leave it to Bella Swan to ruin a date in a moment of klutziness, and then have freaky dreams of what_should_ have happened on said date.

But at the back of my mind, I couldn't help but get the little nagging feeling that maybe it had all been real, and something just wasn't right. 

"Would you like to go home?" Edward brought me back to the present in a gentle tone. I decided that really would be what was best course of action, and nodded reluctantly.

"I had a nice time." I told him truthfully, still unsure of what exactly _had_ happened and what exactly _hadn't_.

"Me too." He gave an odd smile, "I'm sorry it had to end this way. Would you like to do something like this again sometime?" He seemed actually hopeful, and I couldn't help the grin that broke out over my face.

"Sure. Do you want my number?" I asked, nervous all of a sudden, because I'd never done something like this before. I slowly moved so I was sitting up on the couch.

"Sure. Um, here's some paper..." He nervously tugged a sheet of notebook paper off the nearby coffee table and a pen to go with it and shyly handed it to me. I scribbled down my number in my clumsy scrawl, before handing it back to him. He took it slowly, staring at it like it was a piece of packaging material.

In other words, he stared at it like a vampire looks at a clove of garlic; warily and strangely.

Okay?

"Well, see you..." I struggled. Soon? Eventually? Never?

"Soon?" He finished for me, smiling crookedly and folding the paper into a little square, which he promptly tucked into his shirt pocket.

I could only nod. Warily, I stood up, wobbling slightly. When I was sure I could stand without toppling over, Edward held out his hand, which I took eagerly, and led me to the door.

He opened it silently, and the cold November wind bit at my fishnetted legs as it swept into the room. A feeling of deja vu swept over me; hadn't this happened before? I walked outside curiously, dragging Edward behind me slightly. I peered out into the darkness, searching, but this time, there was no orange flame.

I turned back to Edward, who regarded me curiously. "Looking for something?" He asked, peering into the darkness also.

"No." I shook my head with a slightly disappointed grin. I suddenly noticed how the dim porch light accentuated he way his eyes smoldered, golden and gentle once again. His sexily tussled bronze hair played in the wind.

He grinned, making my heart flutter, and abruptly swooped down to give me kiss on the lips. I froze, startled, but easily melted into the sweet gesture.

And all too soon, he pulled away, grinning like a madman and his eyes just a shade darker.

"Goodnight, Bella." He seemed to sigh on the wind, before disappearing in the blink of an eye, shutting the door behind him.

I vaguely remember teetering down the porch steps and stumbling into my truck, before airily and fuzzily driving home.

**Edward POV**

I shut the door behind me with a sigh of release, carefully listening to Bella's pulse as she stumbled down to her truck and drove away. The noise of that dastardly vehicle didn't bother me so much anymore.

It had been terrible to lie to Bella, and she hadn't seemed completely convinced, anyways. Oh well. At least I'd gotten another kiss out of it. Bella had been a great kisser, so warm and soft, so gentle and fierce at the same time. If she hadn't been so delicious, I would have liked to spend the rest of the night in an intense make-out session, to the shame of my usually gentlemanly ways. Hah!

And her number, I'd gotten that. Carefully, I slipped the paper out of my pocket and carefully unfolded it, quickly memorizing the ten digit number before swiftly crumpling the note into a ball and throwing it into my mouth, where I promptly shredded it with my teeth and swallowed, ignoring the awful, woody, bitter flavor. No one would ever see that note now.

_Eddie's got a number, Eddie's got a number, Eddie's got a number..._ Emmett's thoughts suddenly broke into my head, and I scowled a the shattering of the nice moment. My great, hulking bear of a brother suddenly appeared next to me, a grin the size of Mt. Everest on his face.

He chuckled at my scowl and quickly grabbed me in a headlock, ruffling my hear so it resembled something like Jimi Hendrix on a bad day.

"So, how'd it go?" He teased as I struggled, but I couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread across my face. He chortled, letting me out of the headlock but shoving me onto a couch. He towered above me, arms crossed. I noticed the rest of the family, minus Rosalie, who was upstairs in her and Emmett's room, had gathered to see what would happen.

"Quite nicely, thank you." I said stiffly, staring at the ceiling. I wasn't quite ready to forgive them for intruding on my date.

"How come you never told us about it?" He asked, tilting his head. I gave him my signature, 'you've got to be kidding me' look, and he caught on. I hadn't told them about it because they would have forbidden it, duh!

He chuckled and looked over at the family. "I guess this gal's got little Edward's hormones in a tizzy, huh? Planing on being the 100-year-old virgin much longer?" He asked me slyly, raising his eyebrows playfully.

Carlisle smiled weakly as his wife, Jasper, and Alice burst into laughter.

That did it. "Emmett, you idiot!" I growled and leaped from the couch, tackling him to the ground so he was on his back and I was on top of him, pinning him down. He started laughing, for some reason I could not decipher, and said in a choked voice, 

"Edward, why don't you save this kind of stuff for you girlfriend, I'm pretty sure she'd appreciate it more than me." He laughed, and I groaned, jumping off of him and the 'could-possibly-be-taken-as-intimate-position-position' we'd been in.

"Kindly refrain from speaking anything else," I told him through my teeth as he got up, "Or your smart-ass mouth won't have anything more to say."

"Okay." Emmett said casually, ignoring my clenched fists, "You know, I still haven't forgiven you for nearly crushing my wife back there, you know that?" His face sobered, and I froze, regret burning through my veins. Curse him and his guilt-tripping ways.

_And I need my anger not to control me_

_And I want my anger to be me_

I decided that I was no longer in any mood for this. I wanted to be alone. I needed to be alone. Maybe with a nice Linkin Park CD playing, yeah...

As I made my way past my family and up the stairs, Jasper's voice came drifting to my ears,

"Well, at least now we know he isn't gay." Laughter ensued. 

This was going to be a long night.

(A/N: I've got nothing against gay people, if you were wondering.)

**Bella's POV**

When I pulled into Charlie's driveway, the first thing I noticed was that the light was still on, peeking through the curtain and out onto the front lawn. Great. Charlie was waiting for me. I checked my clock and groaned. 10:45. No wonder. I'd promised him I'd be back by ten.

As I exited the truck into the cold November air, I wondered if covering up my little 'umbrella bite' (or maybe bat scratch, wh knew?) would do me much good. I mean, obviously it could be taken a number of ways, if you get my drift...

Quickly, I stumbled up the porch and quickly opened the door, eagerly returning to the warmth of Charlie's house.

Unfortunately, the house did not seem quite so warm as before, and I winced as Charlie's glare pierced my face. He was standing with his arms crossed across his chest, blocking the stairs so I couldn't escape. He said nothing, but all I needed to know was in his eyes.

Abruptly, he burst out, and I backed up against the front door, "Where were you? Do you know what time it is? And why," He paused, his face turning a strange, beet-red color, "Did Mrs. Weber tell me that her daughter was not, in fact, with you and Ben Cheney at the movies, but at a community service meeting in Seattle?"

Uh oh. Deep, deep mud. This wasn't good. At all. "Uh, um, Daddy..." I began weakly, but he cut me off.

"Don't 'Daddy' me, young lady!" He raged, his eyes burning a hole in my forehead, "Who is it? Who were you out with? And don't bother lying to me." He took a deep breath, a vein pulsing in his forehead.

He knew. Well, not exactly _who_, but he knew. And he'd probably know if I was lying. He _was_ a cop, after all.

"Um, um," I tried to piece my explanation together under his glare, but was failing miserably. How on earth was I supposed to tell him this?_Oh, well Charlie, it just so happens that I spent the night with Edward Cullen! Yeah, him! The one you think is, oh, I don't know, a vampire!_ Yeah, not so good.

Charlie sighed. I think he realized that going full-on, commando copper wasn't working so much on me, and so he forced himself to calm down. His eyes went level with mine. "Bella, this is for your own good, just tell me who he is." He sighed again.

I sighed as well. "Char–Dad..." I began slowly, "Um... well, you might not be so happy about... it..." He grimaced.

"Well, I wouldn't be too happy about it anyways, so just say who. Please?" He smiled a half-hearted smile, and I knew I had to tell him the truth. I mean, I could've just lied and said, like, Soccer Snob, or something, but then Charlie would have just called Mrs. Newton, yadda yadda...

"Edward Cullen." I finally told him, fearful of his reaction. I stared at his shoes for about five minutes, waiting for the screaming fest to begin.

Nothing. I glanced up, worried. "Um, Charlie?"

He was staring at me, at my neck.

At the piece of gauze on my neck. Only, there wasn't a piece of gauze anymore. I glanced at the floor, where the gauze had fallen. Uh oh.

"Bella," he suddenly sputtered, his face starting to purple, "Is that– a – a–"

"A hickey?" I asked, completely aghast that he would think such a thing, "Oh, Charlie, no, no! You see..."

Thump.

Charlie fainted, falling over backwards.

This was going to be a long night.

_I'm madly in anger with you_

**I was laughing when this was done... hee hee, Charlie thinks Bella has a hickey, and Edward's family is happy Edward isn't 'differently preferenced'. And bad, bad Rosalie! I'm sorry if I made Carlisle seem a bit evil and OOC, but hey, he's concerned about his family and doesn't want them to be revealed. He'll warm up a bit, don't worry.**

**REVIEW!**

**Next Chapter WILL be that mix of two chaps, sorry.**

**And seriously, is there no one out there willing to beta?**


	14. The XMen Have Invaded!

This, also, is not an update.

Just so you know, I have not died. Nope, nada, zilch, non, naw, no. Sorry. Although, I'm sure a bunch of you out there are probably wishing I was.

I've returned from Colorado, which was where the funeral was, and am back here, where I live. (Sorry, confidential info.) Thank you guys so, so much for the condolences. They made me feel much better. :-)

I have sort of lost my motivation for this story. No, it's not on hiatus or writer's block or anything, but I fall asleep whenever I try to write the next chapter... If any of you care, it's because I recently watched the X-Men movies (I know, I know, you guys are probably all like, _X-Men?! eeeew!! Nerdy and laaame!!_). But whatever. I liked it, and as comic-induced and weird as it was, I did like it, and found the X-Men archive on this site.

The next chapter is about a third of the way done, but I'm being really slow about it. I'll update eventually... eventually... eventually...

Goodbye, for now. _Desole._

VeggieVamp


	15. Dance Dance Revolution

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses, Twilight, or any of the bands/music/etc. mentioned. **

**Shyeah. I'm not even going to make up an excuse. I'm back.**

**I have returned! The funeral was all the way in Colorado, can you believe that? 'Course, I didn't mind. Respect to my great uncle, the Rockies, and the snow-capped glory of it all...**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and big thanks to everyone who offered to beta! However, I have chosen, and (trumpets please) dark aura132 has earned my unduly thanks for betaing this chap! **

Song is: _The Secret's in the Telling _by Dashboard Confessional.

**BOV**

_There is a secret that we keep_

_I won't sleep if you won't sleep_

Today was Monday, a day after my extraordinary date with Edward. I was rather put out he hadn't called, but I supposed I had other things in mind.

After Charlie's little 'freak-out' on Saturday night, I had managed to drag his heavy... self... to the couch and into a lying down position. Flustered, I had poured some cold water onto his head, which resulted in an extremely irate, although lucid, Charlie and meek, little ol' me, cowering at his feet.

At first, he didn't seem to realize what was going on, probably because he woke up to a glass of ice-cold water on his face, but, well, let's just say that once his memories caught up with him, he might have resembled something similar to a Pekinese puppy on a bad day, a _really_ bad day.

I recall that his exact words were not appropriate for the ears of anyone mildly decent. Heck, he said some things that would make a sailor blush!

Thankfully, I had managed to calm Charlie down, with a glass of brandy and some quick thinking. His face redder that a beet on fire, I'd hastily explained how (apparently, for I wasn't sure what was and wasn't reality, at this point), I'd tripped on an umbrella and gotten the scratch on my neck. No hickeys.

Thank God.

Although, I certainly wouldn't have minded Edward's teeth in my neck, whether they had intentions of intimacy or thirst. Same difference, to me. Heh.

And then, after a few well thought out consolations and assurances, not to mention the use of the word, 'daddy', he'd believed me, growling about how he was going to run over to the Berkshire Mansion with a bag of garlic and massacre the whole lot of them.

Before I could respond, he'd gone to sleep.

Anyways, as I was saying, today was Monday, and I couldn't choose between being ecstatic, or sick.

I was on my way to school, pale as could be, my casual ensemble from last night now buried indefinitely in my closet. Today I wore the usual. Panic at the Disco t-shirt, (Their new album came out on March 25, squee! Can you believe they took the exclamation point off the 'Panic'? Sorry, if you're completely lost about what I'm saying, but...), black miniskirt, and black-and-white striped stockings.

Edward had no excuse not to be in school today. It was cloudy, suffocatingly so, and when I finally pulled into the cold, Frankenstein High parking lot, the breath I didn't even know I'd been holding was let out at the sight of the familiar black Volvo.

No one ever needed to tell me it was his car; I just knew. Men and their cars, they say, and I couldn't help but to agree with 'them'. Edward and his Volvo shared the striking similarities of; sexiness, smoothness, blackness, and... an obvious difference. The black Volvo, however conspicuous, stood out blatantly, very shiny and polished, and when surrounded by dusty, beat-up cars of the other students, it was obviously set apart.

The very same went for Edward and his family. No matter how normal they seemed, and I tried very hard now to convince myself they were, indeed, normal, despite my hopes and fantasies, everyone always seemed to immediately focus on the pale skin, the inhuman beauty, the designer clothes, the disturbing charm, draw, and grace they all possessed, and edged away in an unknown fear.

I pushed away my ponderings as I stumbled out of my truck and fumbled with my key trying to close it. Irately, I bent to pick it up, until a white hand flashed out and snatched it for me. I jumped up in surprise, a glare instinctively forming.

"How do you do that?" I asked irately, despite the burst of happiness I felt from his presence. I stared at him carefully, admiring his strong jaw line and golden eyes. Oh, how they smoldered.

He flashed a blinding smile, quirking an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Appear out of thin air." I grumbled, reaching over and snatching my keys, which I promptly stowed in my pocket.

He smirked. "From what I'm gathering from your mood, I'll take it you had a good time last night?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, especially the parts when I tripped on an umbrella, experienced a minor concussion, and then arrived back home only to have my father accuse me of 'getting kinky'." I griped sarcastically, unconsciously reaching up and touching the little scab on my neck.

Edward winced. "Ouch. At least your father didn't throw a party over 'how you aren't gay'." He sighed, rolling his eyes.

I laughed, and he glared playfully at me, before joining in. We began heading for the school.

"What CD do you have in you car right now?" He asked as we entered the building, away from the cold moistness and into the warm dryness.

I choked, and started laughing maniacally, a wicked glint in my eyes.

_The signal is subtle_

_We pass just close enough to touch_

_No questions, no answers_

"What?" He asked, startled by my reaction to such an innocent question.

Oh, hee hee. It turned out I had Jeffrey Star's _Plastic Surgery Slumber Party _in that devious little CD slot right now.

I sobered. "I've got a lot of CDs in my car." I told him truthfully, but still avoiding the question. I liked Jeffrey Star. Um, he, she, _they_ had really dance-able songs!

He rose an eyebrow and smiled at my reluctance. "So do I, but how about the one in the CD player? You can tell a lot about a person from the music they listen to."

So, he wanted to know more about me. Fair enough. But why couldn't he just have asked me some real questions? Or at least I could have had some My Chemical Romance in the slot.

"That's confidential information, I'm afraid." I told him with a smile, quickening my pace towards the cafeteria. He matched my speed with ease.

"Why?" His eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, like it actually annoyed him he didn't know. His eyes took on that searching gleam again.

"No reason. My music is my music." I said to him brusquely, scurrying over to one of the empty cafeteria tables and sitting down. Edward followed suit, across from me.

He stared, and I began to feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Would it really be so bad to tell him? Maybe. I remained silent, staring at him and his wonderful golden eyes.

"You are perhaps the most absurd person I have ever met." He finally said, his face relaxing after our staring contest. "But of course, I mean it in a good way."

I laughed, happy to be away from the subject of my current music. "Thanks. The world wouldn't be the wholesome place it is without that nice splash of good old absurdity."

He grinned. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

**EPOV**

No matter where I seemed to run into her, Bella Swan always stumped me. Bamboozled, shocked... Whatever catches your fancy.

She was so unpredictable, so incredibly unexpected. She never did anything I expected her to do, and it was like a breath of fresh air. She was like a puzzle that had an infinite amount of pieces; whenever you managed to click one in place, another instantly popped up. I relished in finding each piece.

But for now, I dropped the subject. For now.

"Well, favorite book?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and wondering if that was confidential information, too.

However, almost immediately, her face lit up, and I knew I'd asked a good question.

"I honestly don't have a favorite." She began, her rare enthusiasm peeking through, "But I really enjoy Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Mary Higgins Clark. Jane Austen isn't too bad, either..." She trailed off, lost in her literary thoughts.

"The classics and the horrors?" I asked, slightly impressed at her taste in books. Most children in this era were more interested in more modern, and, in my opinion, less indulging books. "Miss Swan, I'm impressed."

She snorted. "Well, what else would you have expected me to read?" She rolled her eyes, and I felt an uncalled for wave of affection at the 'gesture'.

After that, most of the morning flew by. When school started, we separated to attend our individual classes, although I was highly reluctant to do so. Bella really spiced up the tedium of my life, I found. Especially after I sat down in my first period French class.

Apparently, others had noticed how I had been talking to Bella.

_Oh, my God... _squealed Jessica Stanley in her head, two seats behind me. I winced._ Like, like, oooooh, my God! Bella, is, like, so lucky! I have to totally tell Lauren, Oh, my..._ I decided that tuning her incessant babbling out was the safest route.

Or so it had seemed, at the moment.

Walking from class to class, period after period, the stares and thoughts followed me. I was horrendously uncomfortable by fourth period, fidgeting and jumping at small noises. People continued to stare and think about me. When the lunch bell rang, I all but flew out the door of my Social Studies class and into the cafeteria.

I spotted Bella waiting boredly in the lunch line, and hastily claimed the table in the back of the room as my own. People now weren't so blatant about their staring and whispering, too busy eating and chatting, but I knew that all were vaguely focused on _me_ today.

My family, in particular, at their usual table, seemed especially interested. But they did not need to whisper and turn their chairs around to face my table in order to spy on me. Their acute vampire ears could cover just fine...

"Hey."

A voice cut through my reverie an I looked up, my hair flopping into my eyes annoyingly. It was Alice, to my surprise. I glanced back at the lunch line to see Bella tapping her foot on the linoleum floor, still only halfway through the line. I looked back at Alice.

"What do you want?"

"_Tsk tsk,_ brother," She smiled and waggled her index finger in front of my eyes. I resisted the urge to bite it. I still hadn't forgiven my family for being so insensitive last night. "If I didn't know any better, I'd be concerned about those mood swings of yours. But anyway," She leaned on the table, crossing her arms, "I want to know something."

I rose an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

_Do you have any more plans to go out with her?_ Alice hopped up and down like a bunny rabbit, her golden eyes twinkling impatiently and thirsty for knowledge. I scanned her mind, but didn't find any interesting visions. That meant I hadn't made my mind up. Huh.

_We love in secret names_

_We hide within our veins_

_The things that keep us bound to one another _

"I... hoped to..." My brows drew together as I remembered the previous night. I frowned viciously. "But of course, does _Rosalie_ have anything to say for herself? I don't want her flying about, screeching like a banshee and attacking innocent humans on _my_ watch."

Across the cafeteria, a certain, golden blonde vampire sniffed indignantly.

Alice rolled her eyes. "No. But that doesn't matter." Another huff from across the room. "But I mean," she leaned in closer, "Haven't you seen the posters?"

"Posters?" I asked, completely mystified.

_Yes, ignorant boy!_ I rose an eyebrow, _Gosh, you must be blind as a bat! Pun fully intended_. Alice thought, crossing her arms. "You know... the next school dance is coming up!" She whispered.

I glanced across the cafeteria; Bella was almost to the cashier. I looked back at Alice. "That's... wonderful." I ventured. "And why would that be of importance to me?"

"Human girls love dances," Alice explained in a patient voice. "It'll be a great chance for you two to... I dunno. Exchange blood?" She grinned wolfishly, and I lightly smacked her arm.

"Bella is not your average human girl," I declared with fierce fondness and a bit of... pride? "Dances would probably be as much interest to her as much as a whale covets a desert."

"Maybe." Alice shrugged. "But asking never hurts."

"Rejection does." I quipped lightly. "And what makes you think that I would want to be crammed into a room full of dancing humans, inedible food, and most likely, bad music, anyway?"

Yes, that was what I wanted to know. Dancing in a school? What nonsense. And I wasn't joking. Although, the concept _was_ in interesting idea. The only inklings that I had of what a human gala was like, was from when I had _been_ a human, back in 1918. Mother had always insisted I accompany her on those ridiculous get-togethers with those lady-friends of hers... blech...

"Well, if you want to think about it, here's your chance." Alice smiled before skipping off the my family's table and sitting down next to Jasper, who was picking apart a hot dog bun in boredom.

**BOV**

When I arrived at the table where Edward sat, his sister, Alice, quickly walked away without a second glance. He turned back to me slowly, a look of slight frazzlement on his face.

"Was it something I said?" I joked lightly, sitting down and setting my tray of inedibles in front of me. I picked up a plastic spork and skewered a rubbery green bean.

He blinked. "Oh, uh, no, it's just... Alice wanted to talk to me about something." He flashed a slight smile, although it didn't reach his eyes.

Huh. As if I didn't already know about the school dance. This morning, Alice had tipped me off. I think.

_Flashback_

_I had just left the cafeteria to go to my first class when none other than Alice Cullen had bowled into me, which was actually surprising, since she's like the size of an ornate lamp._

"_Whoa!" I huffed as she knocked me over and onto the floor. Her skin was like granite, and she didn't even seem flustered. "Wha–– "_

"_Oh, sorry, I was on my way to the library..." She chirped, offering her hand, which I took. She pulled me up with surprising strength. "Hi, I'm Alice! But I think you already knew that!" She smiled brightly shook my hand._

"_Uh... Bella Swan." I replied, slightly overwhelmed by her sunny behavior. "And no problem..."_

"_Can I walk with you? The library's on the way to Mr. Masen's." _

"_Sure..."_

_We walked, or rather, I walked, and she skipped. Her bright blue tote bag, which looked like it was something from Louis Vuitton, swung from her arm like a swing._

"_Have you heard?" She asked, oblivious to my silence. _

"_Heard what?" I asked vaguely, turning my head towards her and watching the blue tote swing like a pendulum out of the corner of my eye. Alice Cullen didn't usually go up to strangers and start talking t them like this, did she?_

"_About the-- oh! We're here! Well, see you some other time, Bella!" I watched in slight bewilderment as Alice Cullen suddenly veered off like a humming bird and into the library. Was she on crack?_

_I was so preoccupied by Alice and how she disappeared so suddenly, that I accidentally knocked into a pole, falling on my butt for the second time today day with a yelp. "Ow..." My bag thumped to the floor a few feet away, a couple of notebooks and the pencil case falling out._

_I looked up from the floor and glared at the pole, which was covered in flyers. One, in particular, a bright purple one, advertised;_

_FORKS HIGH ANNUAL WINTER DANCE_

_Eat!_

_Drink!_

_Dance!_

_Come attend the Forks High Annual Winter Dance!_

_5.00 at the door, but 4.00 if you pre-pay at the office!_

_Come and have fun!_

_The theme this winter is semi-formal black and white, be creative! Wear scarves! Hats! Gloves!_

_The dance will be on Friday, December 12, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM._

_Be there, or be square!_

_Well, crap._

_And as I got up, gathered my belongings and hurried to class, I couldn't help but wonder how Alice had known my first class was English with Mr. Mason._

_I'd never told her._

_End Flashback_

"Okay." I told him, indifferent to the matter anyway. I liked to dance, but school dances were just so... unnecessary. I decided to play with him a little. "How do you feel about _dancing_?"

He twitched. "I love it. But I'm afraid there aren't any very cool places to go in Forks." He rolled his eyes.

I nodded. "Seattle's the place to go if your in the mood for a rave, then, huh?"

_With only simple words_

_With only subtle turns_

"Definitely."

He wasn't uncomfortable anymore, so I continued. "Well, in that case, I'll tell you when I find somewhere cool."

"That so?"

"Yup."

**Personally, I think this chapter kind of sucked. Oh well, that's what I get for becoming so lazy and unmotivated, I guess...**

For the poll, most people figured that Bella would have some sort of immunity mind power. (Ya know, Jane and Edward's power's don't work on her!) Not much of a surprise, but... check the new poll out.

**From here on, things will start to pick up, just a bit. Would anyone like to have a small appearance of Jacob as a sort of Jagger character? **

**Tell me your thoughts and comments! And I can't wait for the next Hawthorne Heights CD!!**

**Shudderfly (I used to be VeggieVamp)**


	16. Love in Vain

**I'm in a terrible pickle. I've got new motivation, and the plot is initially complete. In fact, I've just finished typing up the last, second to last, and third to last chapters of this story. (YAY!)  
**

**_BUT_! I don't know how exactly to work up _to_ those chapters. Can anyone give me any ideas? PLEASE?**

**1. I need a way for the two to fall in love. For real, that is. Right now, they're more, like, _open_ to that stage _of_ a relationship, but not really there yet. Can anyone come up with a spectacular idea that makes Bella and Edward fall die-hard for each other that fits at least sort of into the plot so far? I'll give you eternal fame and fortune? Please?**

**2. Oh. Actually, that's it. Hey, has anyone gotten The Host, yet? Came out on May 6, 2008! I can't wait to go and get it!**

**Shudderfly**

**PM me if you got anything, please!**


	17. Another One Bites the Dust

Well, as many of you have probably already noticed, this story is as good as discontinued. It has not been updated for over a year.

I, the author of this story, don't plan on continuing it. End of story. Literally.

For those of you who would like a reason for this discontinuation, it is simply because my interests have moved on. The books in question no longer capture my interest, and therefore, my plot bunnies, as they used to so very long ago.

I apologize for this. I enjoyed writing this story, and I was overjoyed to learn that others enjoyed reading it. The number of reviews this story has left me is astounding, to me.

Thank you.


End file.
